Clearly You Don't Understand
by kaja1234
Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. Being Revised
1. Me

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Guess who's back? And with a brand new storyline to continue the old. New twists and turns will shock and amaze in this story. I only ask that you not read this if you have not read it's predecessor, you WILL NOT understand anything that's going on if you attempt to do so. Yes, the first chapter is short, I know.

**Chapter One: Me**

:Hokage Tower, Midnight:

**Author**

"I'm getting too old for this." Sarutobi groans, standing up to stretch his stiff bones as he goes over to the window overlooking the ever-growing Leaf Village. "But I'm glad to know that I can still do some good with the time I have left."

He never notices the shadow that comes upon him as he lights his pipe, taking a few cancer inducing puffs.

"That time is up old man." the assassin murmurs, the androgynous voice raspy and deep as they slam a poisoned kunai deep into the monkey summoner's throat. Never having time to react, Sarutobi is dead before his head is severed from his shoulders. A shoji door is opened somewhere in the room, and the assassin quickly finishes decapitating the old man, exiting swiftly.

"Old man? What's all that noise?" the blonde boy asks, fright marring his features as he is splattered with a copious amount of blood spurting from the old man's neck like a fountain.

The child faints, his brain unable to take the shock of yet another person he loved dying. Kyuubi, asleep, never saw that the assassin hadn't truly left, but instead was hiding, coming forth to place the boy's own poisoned and blood-soaked kunai in his limp hand.

"Let that curiosity be a lesson."

:Two weeks later, Council Hall:

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are charged with the crime of murdering the Sandaime Hokage. How do you plead?" Koharu asks, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She knew no good would come from keeping the boy in the village. After his mother died, she knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped. They should have killed him before they agreed to her dying conditions in her will.

Naruto stands silently, not even bothering to struggle with the binds on his hands or the chakra binding seals on his body. He didn't cry, didn't whine or curse. The blank look he sported most of the time was now in full force. He really wanted a cigarette right about now too.

"Answer me! You're on trial for the murder of Sarutobi! What is your plea?!"

"What?"

"I'm not guilty." he replies, his plea sounding hollow, even to his own ears. "I didn't kill Sarutobi-jijii."

Homura and Koharu share a look. They were planning to condemn him even if he wasn't found guilty.

"You were found with a large amount of blood covering you, and one of your 'own' poisoned kunai in-hand. Do you still deny your guilt?" Homura asks, Naruto simply staying silent.

'Don't let them sentence you without a fair ruling! Put up a fight!'

_I really don't care anymore Kyuubi._

'Why? Why aren't you giving it your all? Do you want to be locked up for eternity?! And it'll be just that since I'm here with you!' she asks, shocked. He hadn't called her -chan or -nee-san, nothing of the like. It was unsettling.

_I don't feel like fighting anymore. They can lock me up, they aren't breaking my spirit. 'I' know I'm innocent, that's all that matters. If they don't believe me, then that's their fault._

"Does the jury find enough evidence to cast a verdict?" Homura questions, looking out over to the silent jury box.

"Hai." they chorus. "We cannot find him guilty without more evidence. It is suggested that he be put in prison until such evidence can or cannot be found."

Homura nods, banging the gavel.

"It is decided then. Uzumaki Naruto, you are sentenced to incarceration until more evidence can be found."

Naruto is led out of the Council Hall slowly, flanked by Anko and Tsume. Neither says a word to the other as they enter the dungeon prisons.

* * *

Anaki: Whoo!

RC16: Yay, sequel, uh-huh. What's Tsume have to do with anything?

Anaki: I dunno, she's Kiba's mom, she'll have a part somewhere sooner or later.

RC16: Oh...whatever.

Anaki: ...Loser.

RC17: -smiles- Review!!


	2. Us

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Well, I didn't get as many reviews as I expected, but then again, my chapter didn't pass the one thousand word count so it's to be expected. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this nice, longer chappie.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Us**

:Timeskip, Thirteen Years, Dilapidated Konoha Prison Dungeon:

**Author**

"Hahaha. That was a good one Kyuubi. Twirling smoke curls black. Coming down to meet myself. You watch silently." a deep voice mumbles, the lighted end of a cigarette glowing in the darkness. "Your turn."

'Sleeping shadow child. I can sense your darkened heart. Do let me heal you.'

A frown crosses the man's face, only visible by the faint light of the cigarette as he sucks in another breath of cancer.

"Healing does not help. I sleep lightly to dream dark. Alive I will be."

'Grudge to be held, yes. But in sleep to be released. Hatred does not help.'

A loud growl passes through the room, rattling the littered bones of dead rats. Skin torn from their bones by the owner who was never given a meal for days on end. Not that he needed food, but it was nice to have his silence. He didn't like rats anyway.

"I grow weary of this game Kyuubi. When was the last time they visited?"

'Two years.'

"Do you think they have forgotten about me finally?" he asks, passing a hand over his face in a mock gesture of surprised helplessness. "That would be most unpleasant."

'I believe they have. Since the original judges, Homura and Koharu, have died, I believe the remaining council members feel they have no need to give you another trial.'

"Ah, so that's how it is."

Footsteps echo in the darkness, dim light flickering throughout the aging hall from a lantern.

"Naruto?" the person asks, reaching through the bars of the cell to catch his shoulder.

"Hello Haku. I haven't finished the pack you gave me last month yet." he replies, brushing his unruly hair from his eyes. "Unless of course, they sent you to free me."

It was an on-going joke for the blonde man, every week Haku came to visit, and every week he recieved the same answer with sad eyes behind it, which Haku should be uttering right about no-

"Yes."

A look of mild surprise passes through the azure eyes, before settling into simple indifference.

"Well, well. What has happened to merit this? The council decided to let the bastard demon free of it's own free will?"

Haku winces, letting his hand drop from the younger man's shoulder.

"Well you know Jiraya-san went to retrieve his Sannin friend Tsunade-san after you were incarcerated so that she could become the Godaime right?" Haku begins, at Naruto's subtle nod he continues. "Well they have been working to get you out of prison since then, and they finally managed to find a loophole in the system. They aren't allowed to keep you in prison under the charge that it was filed. Apparently, well in Konoha at least, 'Murder without substantial evidence' isn't a valid charge for keeping someone in prison. The remaining council knew this, managing to keep it hidden until Tsunade-san demanded that 'every' piece of paperwork regarding your case be put on her desk. Most of them had cloaking seals on them, only letting her read what they wanted her to, but Jiraiya-san disabled them and that's how they found out."

Naruto leans his head back against the wall, absorbing this new information silently. The only thing visible are the curling wisps of smoke; the orange light of the cigarette glowing ominously.

"Alright. I can accept that I suppose."

Haku nods, unlocking and pulling opening the cell door. It creaks, the overly rusted hinges groaning in audible protest as Naruto steps forth, putting out his cigarette on his tongue.

"I 'hate' when you do that you know."

Naruto shrugs, putting the stub into the less-than-half-full box for later.

"Let us go."

:Konoha Streets:

A tanned hand covers cerulean eyes as the two ascend from the underground.

"Here Naruto, put these on." Haku says, handing the man a pair of dark sunglasses. He removes his hand so that Naruto may don his new eyewear. "Your eyes are still much too sensitive from being in that darkness for so long."

Naruto grunts, putting them on, following Haku out of the fenced area.

In the light we are able to see what the years have done to what used to be a child. The clothes he wears are in tatters, barely covering anything in their constant rat-chewed state. He didn't mind terribly when Haku handed him a pair of blue nin pants and a red shirt to pull on. He could do without a shirt normally, but they were going to see the Hokage. Thick corded muscle wound it's way around his upper torso. He'd trained with Kyuubi in that silent darkness, honing his senses even more so insanity wouldn't grasp him. Not that the sound of mice scurrying around helped. His leg muscles were stronger now as well, mostly by help from Kyuubi as well as running around in his 10x10 cell. The man's face was hardened, looking aged well beyond his current twenty five years. The whisker marks are engraved, more visible than they were thirteen years prior, and blonde hair trails like water down the man's back to mid-thigh. He stands wearily at 5'10'', no longer the short, naive child he was before.

They make their way to the Hokage Tower, Haku greeting the ANBU guards with a small smile.

"I'm on business for the Hokage. Deer, Panther, please allow us passage."

The Panther masked ANBU grunts, nodding. Deer mumbles something akin to 'Mendoukuse' and nods as well, passing to let them upstairs.

:Hokage's Office:

They step through the heavy wooden doors, a surprisingly young pigtailed blonde lady sits behind the desk, gesturing for them to sit down. She steeples her hands together as Naruto removes his glasses.

"So you are Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto?"

Naruto nods, no emotion showing on his relaxed face.

"Well you are officially absolved of any and all charges set against you for the murder of the Sandaime."

He nods again, still apathetic.

Tsunade frowns.

Has being alone for this long robbed him of everything?

"Do you have anything you'd like to say?" she asks, laying a soft brown gaze upon the blonde man. He doesn't respond at all, his eyes now focused on the floor underneath the window adjacent to the desk. His face has an unrecognizable expression set upon it. It seems to be a cross between anger and regret. "Naruto-kun?"

Haku nudges him, a worried look spread on his features.

"Naruto? Are you alright?" Haku asks as the blue eyed man jerks his head towards him, nodding again. He looks to Tsunade.

"Repeat your question please, Hokage-sama."

"Yes, of course. Do you have anything you'd like to say?" she asks, a relieved look on her face.

Naruto nods, motioning to Haku, who taps his shoulder gently. A sudden myriad of seals soon appearing on his neck, forehead, and arms.

"I'd like these removed. I haven't been able to use my chakra for thirteen years and it's quite irksome."

Tsunade's expression turns to horror as she makes her way from behind the desk over to where they sit. As she examines the seals closely, a slightly more relieved expression overcomes the horror, shaking her head as she examines one arm.

"Who put these seals on you?"

"Hyuuga Kish, one of the clan elders."

"I thought so." she says, nodding her head. "She always was a compassionate one. Normally these seals would leave you unable to use chakra at all, even when removed. Luckily, you got someone who apparently took pity on you and only sealed it away."

Haku mentally slaps himself in the forehead as she says 'pity'.

This won't go over well.

Naruto frowns, pulling away from her.

"I needed no pity. Punishment should not be spared for one who was already condemned by taking their first breath."

Tsunade frowns as well, slapping him so quickly he has no time to react, and so hard that his jaw cracks.

"You don't know how lucky you are, yet you sit here feeling sorry for yourself. You don't sound anything like the kid from thirteen years back that Haku told me about."

A chill seems to come over the air as Naruto turns back around to face her, his eyes a cold ice blue.

"That's because I'm not." he replies, standing up. Any evidence of a possible injury is gone. "That 'child' died with his mother."

Upon spitting out the word 'child' as though it were a curse, he steps through the heavy wooden doors, disappearing down the staircase.

The bewildered brown eyed woman looks at Haku, who shrugs.

"What happened to his mother?"

"Remember the Three Nation War?"

"The war with Oto and Suna against Konoha?"

"The very same. Well remember the two main casualties that were talked about for a good while?"

"Orochimaru and someone named Sanz...Oh..."

"Exactly. They killed each other. She rests in the catacombs underneath the Hokage Mountain." Haku replies, getting up and bowing. "Please excuse me Tsunade-sama, I must go find my otouto."

"Jiraiya will be waiting outside the entrance."

Haku nods, his body language anxious. He just knew Naruto was going to do something stupid if left alone for too long.

"You are dismissed."

Haku jumps out the window as Tsunade summons Panther to fetch Jiraiya.

:Catacombs:

Naruto places a bundle of assorted flowers in front of his mother's plaque, sitting back against the cave wall.

"To you: Kaa-san." the blonde man says, lighting a cigarette and holding it aloft before placing it between his lips. "It would seem I've picked up your bad habits. Hahaha."

The coffin sits silently in it's white ringed tomb. He continues talking anyway.

"You know I was put in prison? You're watching me now and shaking your head I bet. 'Why didn't you kick their asses? Why did you put up with that shit?' I don't know Kaa-san, I don't know." he taps the cigarette ashes off, using his hand as an ashtray. "Ah, talking to you reminds me, I should open that package you left me. It's really a hassle though, you put chakra and blood seals on it, and I don't have any chakra right now. I'll figure it out though Kaa-san, and when I do, I'll come back to visit okay?"

The only thing that greets him is the sound of yelling.

"Naruto!" Haku yells, letting his voice carry as he nears the catacombs. "Naruto!"

Naruto doesn't answer, walking towards the voice instead.

"Naru-! Oh, there you are, I thought you'd be down here. Well, guess who I have with me?"

Naruto simply raises an eyebrow, Haku taking that as his cue to continue.

"Jiraiya-san!"

The blonde just stares as the aging man steps out from behind Haku. He didn't look any older than he was thirteen years ago if you were just glancing, but one could see the subtle signs of aging. The wrinkles under the eyes, the curving of the hands as they succumbed to arthritis, and that smell that old people seem to exude for no apparent reason. Yes, that embalming fluid smell, it's like they're already dead.

"Hello Naruto. I'm sorry I didn't come to visit."

Naruto nods, watching mutely as Jiraiya studies the seals spread across his upper body.

"There is a process to removing these. We'll need somewhere private, but open. Once I release these, all the chakra that has been storing itself inside your coils will flood out before coming back to you over a week-long period. It may be more, depending on the level of chakra stored."

'Oh, maybe enough to level this and a few other Shinobi nations.' Kyuubi muses silently to herself.

Haku pipes up.

"How about Training Ground Seven? It's open enough and there's alot of flat ground to scribe on. Not to mention there are alot of trees for cover."

Jiraiya nods slowly, making his way out of the cave, Haku and Naruto close behind.

* * *

Anaki: Okay, I like this one.

RC16: Good for you.

Anaki: Oh yeah, Happy Easter everybody!.

RC16: Happy Zombie Jesus Day, you mean.

Anaki: Huh?

RC16: He was dead and he came back to life, therefore, he's a zombie.

Anaki: Ooooh. See, I'm not Christian, so I didn't know that. I mean, yeah, it's some holy holiday for them, but I didn't know all about the Jesus stuff.

RC16: Well, now you do.

Anaki: Cool. Oh yeah, everybody wish Buddha a Happy Birthday! It's on the 8th!

RC17: Happy Easter/Zombie Jesus Day! We meant no offense to anybody with this little joke, you're all badass and we love you so review!


	3. Anything

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Okay, I know all you readers are like, 'WTF, where's the action? What's all this crap drama, this isn't your writing style!! Blargh!' Lol, I tell you now, there will be action, lots of it. This drama is key in the story, it's explaining some things, and building to the eventual conflicts that will happen. And yes, I am trying out a different style, trying to be a little more subtle, but that's it.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Anything**

:Unknown:

**Author**

"Do you think they'll be all self-righteous and release it?" a figure asks, cloaked in darkness. The rythmic chink of weapons knocking against each other fills the air.

A woman with long blue hair spilling over her shoulders smiles, the translucent flower in her hair turning a deep red as her white eyes alight on the figure.

"Of 'course' they will Shigure, these are 'Konoha' shinobi we're talking about, not Kiri or Iwa. They will take to the bait like flies to honey, and we will soon have the last two jinchurikki in our hands. All we have to do is wait a little while, Magiro has told me that he was released a while ago."

:Training Ground Seven:

**Naruto**

I didn't see what the big deal was really. We had just entered my team's old training grounds, where my old teammates happened to be training. Sakura was the first one to speak.

"N-N-Naruto?" she asks, coming up to me, a look of awe on her face as she reaches towards me. "Is that you?"

She hugs me before I have a chance to react, but I return the gesture stiffly. She was a little shorter than myself, a welcome change from our younger years, and her hair was still that same shade of pink, still unchanged in length since it was cut in the Chuunin Exams. Her features had grown sharper over the many years we had been apart, emerald eyes stared at me with a more calculating gaze, something I had only seen on Kaa-san's features when she was worried. She wore a simple red shirt and black pants that were baggy to allow movement.

"Hello, Sakura. I suppose I am forgiven then?"

"There's nothing I should be forgiving you for. I was always the one at fault. I shouldn't have accused you of anything when you were the victim the entire time, once I finally figured out what they were doing..." she gasps, putting a hand to her mouth, eyes laced with pity. I hated that look, I didn't 'need' any pity. "I'm sorry Naruto."

I nod, hiding anger from my features and pulling away from her so that I can take a look at Sasuke.

He had grown his hair long, it was better than his style from when we were children, and it was currently in a ponytail. His face was set in an even more permanent scowl than the one I was used to. He was in his trademark clan shirt and white shorts. They apparently had been training for a while, because the heavy scent of sweat clung to them both.

**Author**

A scathing glance towards the raven.

"Your letters were too short." the blonde says, socking the man in the shoulder.

Sasuke nods silently, suddenly pulling the blonde into an uncharacteristic embrace. Naruto returns the embrace just as stiffly as he had with Sakura. Human contact was almost completely lost to him inthat prison except for the occassional reassuring pat on the shoulder from Haku.

"You're the only family I have left now Naruto."

"So you've killed him?"

"Yes, and I learned the actual truth shortly after. He was being blackmailed, Naruto. Akatsuki's leader had killed our clan, not him. He was in the catacombs when it happened, visiting Shisui, who had indeed been killed by his hand, if not indirectly. Shisui had told him he loved him more than he should, Itachi did not feel more love for Shisui than that of a brother, and told him so."

Sasuke pauses, taking in the look Naruto is giving him and continuing.

"Shisui wrote his suicide note, then slit his own throat, throwing himself into the river directly afterwards. Itachi was extremely surprised to hear that his best friend had killed himself, and, after reading the note, he felt guilt that he was responsible without ever holding the kunai. He was filled with a blinding rage shortly afterwards, and because of his guilt, he activated the Mangekyou when he attacked the police force. After he realized everyone was going to be out for his blood when the Massacre was revealed the next day, he was forced by the Leader to chase me down, using the Mangekyou to show me exactly what 'he' did. He didn't want to go through with any of it, so he drove me to the point of madness so that I would eventually kill him. Then he joined the Akatsuki."

Naruto sighs, patting the raven haired man on the back lightly.

"Aa. Well, at least you're at peace now Sasuke." Naruto lets his face pull into a small smile and Sasuke knew those words carried alot more than what was simply said.

"Did the Akatsuki disband? I remember reading in your letters that they lost a member to Suna, then two more to the new team and sensei you were assigned. Now with Itachi gone they should be down to five members, yes?"

Sasuke shakes his head, Jiraiya interjecting with a comment.

"They recently recruited three more members just two years ago, and promoted one of their field agents but we don't have much information on them yet. There are also rumors of a possible fifth member circulating through my spy network, but nothing is for certain yet."

Naruto simply nods, Sakura and Sasuke finally noticing something different about their old teammate.

He seemed a bit more uncaring than thirteen years ago, but prison would do that to a man. Especially in solitary confinement.

"Those are chakra binding seals aren't they Naruto?" Sakura asks, breaking the silence,

getting a bit closer to have a better look; having the same reaction as Tsunade. "Why would they put 'those' kind of chakra seals on you?! You'll never be able to use your chakra again!"

"Actually that's why we're here." Haku states before Naruto can answer, convincing himself that the girl isn't 'all' that stupid, she just wasn't a sealing master like Jiraiya or a Sannin who knows seals like Tsunade and the late Orochimaru. He looks back at Naruto, awaiting any sign that he may or may not want this information publicized. The younger blonde man is impassive, taking a drag on a newly lit cigarette, and the kimono clad man chooses his words carefully. "It turns out that the person who did the seals scribed them wrong, Naruto's chakra was only bound, not extinguished as per the Council's orders. Jiraiya-sama is going to do a ceremony to release it."

Jiraiya nods in confirmation.

"Yeah, so if you don't mind us borrowing the training grounds for a while, then leave." he mutters gruffly, looking Sakura up and down before beginning to cough violently. He takes out a water bottle in shaking hands, a pill bottle in the other, downing the yellowish white capsules in one practiced fluid motion, his coughing subsides. Haku and Naruto eye him worriedly before turning back around to the two as they nod, disappearing with a 'poof'. "Well? What're you staring at? Put out that damn cigarette, take off your shirt, and lay down Naruto. We've got work to do."

**Naruto**

I put out my cigarette, pocketing it as I lie down silently, watching as my old sensei cuts his thumb, making the standard circle around me that begins all sealing or unsealing ceremonies. I can't help but think that it's not good for him to waste his blood like this, especially as old as he is, but I push it aside. He was either ordered to do it or was doing it of his own free will, my request meant nothing without any one of those options. As he lets a few drops of blood drip into an ink bottle and begins to mix them in, I find myself drifting off. Somewhere between sleep and waking.

Meditation.

:Naruto's Mindscape:

I find myself in front of Kyuubi's cage, the doors still welded shut, and the kanji for 'seal' burned permanently into every inch of visible steel. I crack my neck from side to side, stretching, then slipping through the oversized bars.

Kyuubi was asleep, laying on her couch, a picture of Soriyu clutched tightly in her hand. I reach over to pry it from her fingers, but she moans and turns onto her side.

"Brother..."

A few tears slip down her cheeks.

Now, it stands, if I was feeling any amount of sympathy in those few moments, I may not have done what I am about to do. However, just hearing her call out to him, knowing that she'd never see him again made me feel the same. I'd never see Kaa-san ever again, Sarutobi-jijii was dead too. All gone, without me ever getting the chance to say goodbye, or save either one from death.

I hated it.

So I slapped her.

Hard.

It leaves a blood red handprint on her cheek, but otherwise she doesn't stir.

"Kyuubi, wake the fuc-."

Her eyes snap open as the pain of the blow registers, her body responding in turn by lashing out, claws embedding themselves into the soft skin of my cheek, centimeters below my left eye. I refuse to allow my body to flinch, that was a sign of cowardice.

A sign of fear.

I had seen it all.

I had nothing to fear anymore.

"What was that for?!" she asks, growling as she withdraws her hand, looking over the inflicted wound which is quickly scabbing over. The flaking blood falling to the floor.

I frown, tilting my head to the side.

"No crying, or did you forget that?"

She frowns as well, wiping at her face.

"No. I don't forget things. I just choose not to remember."

"Whatever. Just get ready for the end of the ceremony. It'll finally destroy 'that'." I say, pointing to the sky above the lake where a giant reddish violet orb of light floats silently, casting a heavy glare over the current calm of The Lake.

A slight smile flutters over her facial features as I hear Jiraiya's voice in my ears.

:Real World:

**Author**

"Are you alright Naruto?" the old man asks, quickly tearing his eyes away from staring at the scarred white kanji carved into the area around the Kyuubi's seal, hoping that his former student didn't notice.

"Yes, are you finished scribing?"

Jiraiya nods, motioning for the younger man to stay still and for Haku to stand at the ready. He had used alot of blood, so the old Sannin would probably collapse any time now, but he wanted to finish the ritual first.

There are many different rune symbols drawn onto Naruto's pale skin, close to, but not touching or overlapping the seals that already reside there. That was for sealing, for an unsealing, everywhere but the places where the original seal(s) resides had to be covered. It was some straight bullshit about balance, but it was annoying as hell.

The white haired Sannin takes a deep breath, placing one hand above Naruto's head, and the other over his stomach.

"Shirizoku." (Recede)

Now the unbreakable adamantine chains that would normally appear (had the spell been correctly scribed in the beginning) were replaced by brittle rusted ones of iron with bits of torn fudas littering the links. Sequenced high bursts of chakra from Jiraiya's hands weaken the chains more, the fuda lighting up in white flames as they burn, taking the rusted chains away with them. Soon nothing is left and the seals slowly begin to disappate.

Minute amounts of pain shoot through the old man's hands as he falls back, Haku catching him as an intense wave of killer intent somewhat masked under a massive chakra signature sweeps over them, disentegrating some of the trees in the immediate area. Tsunade stays the ANBU's charge to the grounds, telling them that this chakra release was under her jurisdiction. The villagers quake in fear, it was too similar to

'that' day. It carries out, unyielding, going far beyond the barriers of the

Five Great Shinobi Countries, catching the attention of many in its wake.

:Unknown Country:

A middle aged woman wrapped in heavy furs turns towards the source, ignoring the stinging cold that whips at her face as she stares, trying to see past the blizzard.

"Who?"

:Unknown Country:

A frail looking old man meditates, wrapped in a single orange robe as colored leaves paint the ground before him, and he slowly opens one eye to glance out over the ocean.

"I wonder..."

:Border between Ninja Countries:

A young child that looks to be about thirteen, dressed in nothing but rags, wanders across the Rock/Water Country border. Dirty uneven brown hair falls in disarray among frail shoulders, uncut for who knows how long as they look back in Fire Country's direction, shrugging with a sigh.

"I guess I'm headed there instead then."

:Konohagakure, Training Ground Seven:

Naruto groans, rolling over to vomit violently off to the side, wiping his mouth after dry heaving for a bit. He eyes the remains of a rat disgustedly, forgetting that it looked more unpleasant coming up than it did going down.

Haku quickly sets the Sannin on the ground, checking him over. Once satified with his condition he goes over to Naruto, patting him on the back.

"Are you alright Naruto?"

Naruto simply grunts, getting to his feet and pulling back on his shirt. He soon takes out his unfinished cigarette, lighting it and inhaling the cancer inducing smoke.

Haku smiles as Jiraiya begins coughing again, downing more pills.

"Do you need to go to Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-san?"

Jiraiya grudgingly nods as Haku comes over and takes his arm, glancing over to Naruto, who shrugs.

"I'll be at the house I suppose."

Haku quickly nods, disappearing in a swirl of leaves as Naruto begins making his way down the road.

:Konoha Streets:

"Well, well, I never thought I'd see you again Naruto-kun." a white-eyed woman with long purple hair states as she comes down the street, following close behind her is a small white eyed girl with blue triangles on her cheeks; a small gray puppy lay slumbering in her arms as she hides behind her mother's blue robes shyly.

Naruto stares at her, running memories through his mind, trying to remember who this woman might be. Meanwhile, the woman stands with an easy smile, using her fan to divert the path of the cigarette smoke. She mentally frowns, Naruto was exuding an aura laced with killer intent. She doubt he even knew he was doing it.

"Oh well, you still haven't gotten it? I'm Hyuuga Hinata, remember now?"

Naruto smiles slighty in recognition, the aura not disappating in the slightest, seeing how much she has changed.

"You've gotten rid of your stutter I see." he murmurs, glancing down towards the little girl who hides her face in the fabric. "And who's the little one? Your daughter? Oh Kami-sama, you married Kiba didn't you?"

He asks, stating the last in an mock-accusing whisper as Hinata laughs, nodding. She sighs internally, she wouldn't have to kill her old crush, thank Kami. Naruto frowns, shrugging, as he crouches down to be eye-level with the little girl.

"And what's your name little one?"

The girl mumbles something into Hinata's robe.

"Come now, please tell me properly hime-chan." Naruto says, a small smile reserving itself for the child.

"Hibara." the little girl replies, a blush coating her cheeks as she looks at him. "I'm 'this many' years old."

She proudly holds up five fingers.

"How cute, you have a very pretty name Hibara-chan, and what's his name?" Naruto asks, gesturing to the puppy.

She holds out the puppy, who wakes up with a wide mouthed yawn, blinking sleepily at Naruto.

"This is Tomi-kun! Say hi Tomi-kun!"

Tomi barks, wiggling in her arms, trying to get at Naruto. The blonde puts his cigarette between his teeth, picking up Tomi, who immediately begins licking his face furiously between small yips.

"Tomi-kun likes you!"

Naruto smiles, patting the pup on his head and handing it back to the little girl. The malevolent aura doesn't seem to affect the child, or could he simply be directing it towards her unconsciously?

"And I like Tomi-kun, and you too Hibara-hime." he replies easily, unaware of Hinata's thoughts, and ruffles her hair before righting himself. "It was a pleasure to see you again Hinata, but I am afraid I must be on my way. I fear I have kept Haku waiting. I hope to see you again."

Hinata nods in agreement, hiding her guarded attitude from an equally wary Naruto as he walks away.

"Byakugan." she whispers, seeing what she fears. Naruto grins wide, his large canines visible, though he's facing away from her, and he spreads his arms as though being crucified.

"Like what you see Hinata?" he murmurs, just loud enough for her to hear. "There was no going back, I'm now truly what they called me all those years ago."

He walks away as she deactivates her Byakugan, unable to handle the sheer power of the chakra flowing through his coils, and Naruto rubs a hand across a certain kanji on his stomach.

'妖怪'

"I am truly a..."

'Demon.'

* * *

Anaki: Wow, I'm totally sad now.

RC16: Why?

Anaki: You know the ending to Cowboy Bebop?

RC16: Yeah?

Anaki: Well I was listening to that the entire time I wrote this chapter, it's inspiring, but sad.

RC16: Whatever, philosophical bitch.

Anaki: What?!

RC17: Haha, bye bye bro, review!


	4. Pain

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Um...if you didn't understand the last chapter, here's a synopsis: Naruto's a demon now, his chakra was being mixed with Kyuubi's the entire time it was sealed, and when it was released it completely overrode any humanity left in him. He still looks like a human, one: because he doesn't have much chakra yet, and two: I don't see a point in him looking fierce unless he's pissed off or fighting someone he really hates or wants to intimidate, 'and' I'm the author, so nyah. Next, yes, Hinata 'is' married to Kiba. Don't ask me why. Don't ask me how, as far as I'm concerned we're all in the same boat as Naruto ('wtf'ing basically), so yeah. And another question I was asked and probably will be asked again is about Jiraiya. Now I could be a smartass and say that old people tend to have a myriad of things wrong with them at any given time, which is true, but he has a specific disease. Tuberculosis. 'Nuff said.

* * *

**Chapter Four: Pain**

:Zabuza and Haku's House (formerly Sanziya and Naruto's):

Naruto steps in the house, crushing his cigarette under his heel before doing so, and slipping off his shoes at the door. He inhales silently, clearing the smoke from his lungs, not that he could get cancer anyway. Upon walking around for a bit, he notices that the pictures his mother painted still hang on the wall, as fresh looking and free of dust when she first painted them. He smiled, mentally thanking the two tenants of the house. The blonde goes into the bathroom, stripping down, and getting in the shower.

The man shudders under the warm spray; seeing Sakura hadn't been too detrimental to his mental health, but it had been a shock to his systems too, even if he didn't show it. She looked even more like her mother even though she was nothing like the woman.

"I detest this feeling." he murmurs to no one, knowing Kyuubi cannot hear a word he said, she was asleep again it seems.

She was doing that a lot lately.

Sleeping.

He would say it wasn't healthy, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Especially when he was the one forcing her into sleep.

:Hokage Tower:

"Jiraiya, if you'll just lay down...!" Tsunade states heatedly, pulling on a pigtail as Haku tries to 'help' (i.e: push) the old man onto a bed, but the ice user is promptly shaken off.

"No!" he growls, his face turning red. Though that could simply be from the effort of holding back his coughs. "Screw the fucking treatments Tsunade! You and I both know this can't be cured no matter how hard you try! Not many ninja survive this, even the 'lucky' ones are crippled and forced into civilian life! I'd rather die in battle than from this goddamn disease!"

After this small tirade he doubles over in a fierce coughing fit, unable to even reach for his bottle of pills because his body is shaking too hard. He hacks violently into his hands, blood slipping between his fingers to stain the hardwood flooring.

"Jiraiya!"

"Jiraiya-san!"

:Zabuza and Haku's House:

Naruto steps out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, going down to his old room while running his fingers through his now much cleaner mane of hair. Nothing had changed, although there were clothes that would fit him in the closet. Simple colors, nothing more, nothing less. He mentally thanks Haku again, figuring the older man had some good foresight.

After pulling on some underwear, a blue shirt, and black nin pants, Naruto makes his way into the kitchen, where he is immediately assaulted by a barrage of kunai. The blonde crouches, rolling behind the door as the weapons 'thunk' into the wood. He reaches up, pulling as many as he can from the wood before ducking back behind his temporary shield as another barrage sinks into the beaten wood.

One, two, three, four...damn, this won't be enough to do shit with. he thinks, forming the ram seal experimentally. Nothing happens. And my chakra hasn't returned enough to do much of anything with.

The blonde man hears footsteps approaching, steeling himself for an attack as he spreads the liberated kunai between his fingers.

"I don't know how you got in here without me sensing you asshole,..." a gruff voice begins slowly, the owner making their way towards the door. "But you're dead fucking meat!"

At this the door is slammed shut, revealing the still crouching Naruto, who reacts by throwing two of his kunai at the man. The weapons lodge themselves deeply into his sleeveless shoulder, the pain not registering as a shocked look takes over his features, and he stares slack-jawed at the blonde.

The blue eyed man curses, watching as blood seeps from the man's shoulder, that shot should've hit his throat and killed him. He would need to work on his aim again, that prison had given him strength, but not accuracy.

"Naruto?" the man asks tentatively as Naruto turns to focus on his face.

"That you Zabuza?" the blonde asks, tilting his head to the side quizzically, but not lowering his weapons. Zabuza nods, wincing as the pain finally registers in his mind.

"When did they let you out?" the ex-Kiri jounin asks, hooking two fingers through the rings of the kunai currently embedded in his shoulder and taking a deep breath.

"Earlier today. Apparently I am absolved of all my 'crimes'." Naruto replies with a level tone, keeping the remaining kunai weapons at his side cautiously as Zabuza rips the two kunai from his shoulder, teeth gritted in more annoyance than actual pain. He tosses the bloody kunai towards a bucket marked 'Tools for Cleaning', but they miss by a long shot and he simply shrugs. "But that doesn't matter, why did you attack me?"

The older man holds up a finger, telling Naruto to wait for a minute as he gets a bottle of alcohol and some gauze from the medical kit mounted on the wall, motioning for the younger man to follow him into the living room as he sits on the couch to tend to his wound.

"I didn't recognize your chakra signature. It shouldn't have changed this much over thirteen years, what happened?" he questions in reply, pouring the alcohol on the wound and quickly binding it without so much as a flinch. He scratches the stubble on his chin as he waits for an answer.

Naruto simply smiles, uttering a single word.

"Kyuubi."

Zabuza nods in understanding as he scans the other man's face for any sign of emotions other than that fake smile, but the whiskered blonde has settled back into cold apathy.

"I'm sorry I didn't come visit."

"That's alright."

The two sit in silence for a bit, but it's not uncomfortable and Zabuza soon speaks up.

"So...I assume Haku told you you'll be living back here again?"

Naruto fixes him with nothing short of a blank stare and the other man nearly flinches at the gaze. The blonde's eyes were reminiscent of that of a dead fish.

"Why else would I be here Zabuza?" he asks calmly, his voice betraying nothing. "If not for the simple fact that the scattered pieces of my broken family still reside in this village, i.e: You, Haku, Sasuke, and Jiraiya, then I would have 'gone missing' as soon as I was freed."

Zabuza nods, standing up and stretching his shoulder, rotating it so it won't go stiff.

"Are you hungry?"

"I think the better question is: Can you cook?"

"I was going to make some shiitake mushroom and beef stir-fry with rice."

"Alright. That's fine."

:Immediately after dinner, Bathroom:

Naruto clutches the toilet as he empties the contents of his stomach for the second time that day, shaking as Zabuza leans against the closed bathroom door, wincing slightly as Naruto retches into the bowl again.

-groan-...-deep shuddering breath-...Kyuubi... -cough-...agh...Goddammit.  
Kyuubi!...agh...-hack-...What the fuck is this?!

'You are a full blooded demon now, Naruto.' Kyuubi begins somberly, appearing beside him and tying his hair back from his face so it doesn't touch the sickness in the toilet. He allows her to, even though he is clearly pissed. 'You cannot eat human food anymore, your body will reject it each time. It is poison to you now. That's why the rats you ate 'raw' while in confinement did nothing to your body, because of the changes.'

"Bullshit...that's straight bullshit!" he yells at her, uncaring if Zabuza hears as he throws up again. Fucking second helpings.

'I know kit, I know. Don't worry, it'll be alright.'

"No...it won't Kyuubi..." he murmurs, retching into the toilet again, grimacing at the chunks of half digested meat and mushroom floating in brownish green bile atop the water. He flushes the toilet, getting up and rinsing his mouth out with water from the sink. "I feel it."

:Konoha Streets; Shopping Stalls Area:

One woman, a short haired brunette is talking to another black haired woman as they shop for fruit together.

"Did you hear?" the brunette asks, putting a pineapple in her basket. They were having Pineapple Delight for desert tonight.

"What?" the black haired woman replies, picking up a guava and giving it a light squeeze.

"The demon's back." Another pineapple goes into the basket.

"I thought the council executed it." The guava goes back on the shelf. "Yech, I don't even like guava melon. Too sweet."

"No, I heard they only imprisoned it and that evil wave of chakra earlier was from it too!" Another pineapple calmly goes into the basket, apparently this wasn't as shocking to the one delivering the news.

A pomegranate is dropped on the floor by a nearby eavesdropper, the stall owner not paying attention as he turns a page in his dirty magazine and giggles. He really didn't care what the women had to say, he hated women anyway. They were a pain in the ass.

"Really?! Well someone should go kill it then!"

Haku, basket of fruit in hand, steps up behind the two woman (who, coincidentally, albeit older, were the same two woman talking shit about Sanziya in the humble beginnings of TFTP, Chapter Five I believe), making sure to let his icy aura wash over them as he smiles jovially.

" 'Who'll' be killing 'what' now ladies?"

The women freeze, no pun intended, in their chatter, turning to face Haku, and you can literally see their unspoken lies already forming on their foul lips. However, fortunately or unfortunately or whichever way you wish to view it, an young woman who looked to be around Naruto's age with short cut brown hair and a warm smile pulls him away from the two women with a sigh.

"Haku-chan, we can't have you getting angry at everyone who talks bad about Naruto-kun, hm?

Haku sighs, nodding, but he sends a fierce glare back at the two in warning anyway. The woman snickers, pulling on his kimono sleeve anxiously.

"Come on! I want to go see Naruto-kun! It's been forever!"

"Alright Ashui, alright!" Haku mumbles, a hint of annoyance crossing his features, putting one last fruit in his basket and tossing a handful of coins onto the stall owner's makeshift desk as Ashui drags him from the shop. The man snorts, not even bothering to count it as he pockets the gold, turning another page in his magazine.

He 'really' hated women.

:Z and H's House:

"Zabuza! I'm back!" Haku calls as he and Ashui enter the house and slip off their shoes. Ashui goes to sit down in the living room, leaving the ex-Kiri nin to search.

There's no answer from the older man, nor the other inhabitant of the house, but he didn't know that the blonde was there yet.

"Zabuza?" the ice user calls again tentatively, heading for the bedroom. He sees the older Jounin sprawled out across the bed, his normally loud snores being muffled by the pillow resting jauntily atop his head. Haku sighs -Zabuza was such a wild sleeper, especially when napping- wandering into the kitchen and picking up the two bloody kunai that were in the far corner, nowhere near the bucket he had marked for such a purpose.

The kimono-clad man makes a 'hming' noise at the back of his throat, absentmindedly rubbing the side of his neck where a small scar resides as he goes crosses through the living room to the back hallway calling for Naruto while Ashui contents herself by looking at the pictures on the walls.

"Naruto? Are you home? Ashui's here to see you." he states as he comes to a standstill in front of the shoji door, awaiting an answer. No answer comes from the man inside, so Haku knocks again. "Naruto?"

A stifled noise reaches his ears, sounding more like a strangled sob. Haku frowns, putting his ear to the door's surface.

Meanwhile, inside, Naruto is biting his knuckles to stifle any loud noises and sobs issuing from his throat as he sits on the bed. He had opened the package...breaking down halfway through pulling everything out, escpecially after he'd found his mother's Body Sheath.

"Kaa-san...kaa-san...these things, all these things you've left me...Why? -choking sob- I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you! I'm sorry I was so fucking weak..." he whispers, biting down even harder on his knuckles, drawing blood, the other hand clenching the bracelet tightly. He knew that this little fragile looking piece of blue starmetal could've prevented his mother from dying had she worn it into battle, but no, instead she had packed it into a farewell package for him. Explanations for eveything scribbled on numerous scrolls as he discovered directions left for his father's Hiraishin (Flying Thunder God Technique) and an entire compressed scroll containing 500 of the special three pronged kunai with the seals already engraved on them. Entire medical records, books and tools from the Uzumaki clan as well as a thick notebook on anything that Sanziya had discovered about the mixed clans (Kazama and Uzumaki) other latent bloodline abilities and how to use them to the fullest extent that he could, and that was only half of the package.

Outside, Haku goes to knock on the door again, feeling guilty for eavesdropping on something that the other man obviously wanted to keep to himself.

"Just come in Haku, it's not locked." Naruto tells him as he wipes his face, all traces of vunerability gone from his features as he lights up a cigarette, Haku sliding open the door and stepping silently into the room.

"Ashui's here to see you."

The blonde nods, sweeping everything except the Body Sheath to one side of his bed and standing as he slips it on his own wrist, the icy blue color giving way to nothing but flesh as it absorbs some of his steadily returning chakra. He stands, stepping past Haku and into the hallway, leaving the brunette to close the shoji door. The other man couldn't help but notice what seemed to be a slightly happier jive to the blonde's step. Haku smiles lightly, pulling the door shut and following quickly behind the younger man.

:Living Room:

Naruto enters the living room, stubbing his cigarette out in the palm of his hand and pocketing it as he lays eyes upon the woman residing in his former living room. The man sighs, she was engrossed in a painting of Soriyu with his arms draped around his mother's shoulders, and walks over until he stands behind her.

"Hello Ashui, it's been a while hasn't it?" Naruto asks, his lips right next to her ear. She screams and jumps at least a foot in the air, having not heard him or Haku return from down the hall.

"Naruto-kun!" she chastises, calming her racing heart down, and hugging him. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Naruto quirks up his lips slightly, returning the hug somewhat hesitantly. She grins as he pulls away, giving him an appraising look.

"They fed you well in that hellhole, you're not skin and bones like I thought." she murmurs, not knowing that Naruto can hear her every word, mentally scoffing the entire time. Haku, off to the side, winces indiscreetly, Naruto sending a mild look of anoyance his way.

Sure, if a three course meal containing rat salad minus the salad, rat a la orange minus the orange and a rat cheesecake minus the cheese 'and' cake is good eating, then yeah, I was fed damn good. Naruto thinks off-handedly, not voicing his complaints to Ashui.

"-but you'll still have to come by our restaurant, we named a special after you. 30 bowls for 20! Only on Wednesdays! Those were the only days you could come to the stand remember?" she twists her hands together nervously, continuing on in a high pitched voice than before. "You know, after they put you in prison, Daddy was so angry and he went to complain to the Council. They threatened to revoke our citizenship and throw us out of Konoha, so we couldn't do anything rash, no matter how much we wanted to smack those old coots." she turns an angered gaze to a completely innocent patch of dark wood residing on the wall. A woebegone expression soon overtakes her features. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun. For everything, not coming to visit, not writing you letters, Daddy's just been so unbearably sick on and off for the past years and I couldn't bear to put him in a care center or be away from his side at all. I really thought he was going to-"

Naruto cuts her off, putting a pale finger to her lips, her eyes beginning to spill loose tears.

"Shh. I understand. It's alright Ashui."

Ashui buries her face into his shoulder, crying. Haku notices, stepping forward to comfort the girl, but Naruto shakes his head subtly and Haku nods, understanding. She soon finishes her little breakdown, apologizing again and wiping at her face with a blue handkerchief monogrammed with a fancy calligraphied 'A.S' in one corner.

Naruto stares quizzically at the initials, wondering silently who they could belong to. Ashui's last name was still Ichiraku.

Wasn't it?

* * *

Anaki: And there you have it, the perfect cliffhanger.

RC16: At least you made it longer than the rest.

Anaki: -- Yeah, but they still won't be happy.

RC16: Maybe, maybe not.

RC17: Review!


	5. Sacrality

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: I originally had a rant here, but this is more important. I wish to recruit a few good people for mod positions on my new forum, but everything's at the end of this fic. If you don't read the end convos and notes normally please do if you are interested. Thanks.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Sacrality**

:Shikamaru and Chouji's House:

**Author **

Naruto runs a hand through a few locks of his thigh length hair as he stares at his opponent, a bead of sweat making an arduous path down his naked chest. He had been here since the early morning, it was noon, he had already been taken down twice. The next move he made would most likely be his last.

"Come on Naruto-san, make a move already!"

Naruto nods, moving his black piece to capture two of his opponents whites.

A small hand pushes a white piece across the board, sealing a difficult move that the older man had never even noticed until now, a smile on it's owner's face as his move took out quite a bit of Naruto's failing army of black pieces.

"I win."

The blonde glared fire at the board.

It was 'always' 10 fucking komi.

Naruto grunts, leaning back against the wall, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Little bastard." he mumbles as he blows out smoke, not knowing the kid can hear him.

"Mama! Naruto-san just called me a bastard!" the young boy yells into the house, even though he had a superior smirk pasted on his features.

Chouji comes outside, wiping his hands on a dish towel with a smile on his face.

"Now now Chosaru, Naruto's just angry that you beat him in Go. He doesn't mean anything by it, do you Naruto?" Chouji asks, smiling at the lounging blonde. Naruto snorts, not replying as he watches a Genin messenger race towards the house only to breathlessly collapse onto the porch. The blonde nudges him in the side with the toe of his combat boot, eyebrow somewhat raised.

"Uzumaki-sama..." the nameless Genin pants, using the beam of the porch as support so he can stand properly. "Hokage-sama wants to see you right away, she says it's urgent."

Naruto nods in confirmation, the Genin runs off again, presumably to alert Tsunade of his successful message delivery. Naruto sighs and lets a slight grin cross his face, bending down to ruffle Chosaru's short mop of brown hair before hopping off the porch and heading towards the Hokage Tower.

"See ya Chouji, Chosaru, tell Shikamaru I said hey."

Chouji nods, heading back into the house as Chosaru stays on the porch, sticking his tongue out at the blonde subtly as he picks up the Go board, heading back into the house. Naruto rolls his eyes, continuing on his way and making good time getting into the building.

Rain begins to pour down just as he shuts the heavy wooden door to the Tower.

:Hokage Tower:

It was never a good sign, the rain, as Naruto had come to realize growing up. It had only really rained on certain days, days when tragedy befell him. It had rained when Iruka was killed, albeit briefly, it had rained when he was first raped (although I actually neglected to put that), it had rained when he was raped 'again', and it had rained when his mother was buried (forgot to put that too). It had also rained when he was first imprisoned, so while he didn't know what else could possibly befall him (what with all his family dead and he himself quite able to kick ass 'quite' well), it was sure to suck much ass in it's own right.

As such, he found out how right he was, sitting across from a grim looking Tsunade.

The elderly blonde leader steeples her hands in front of her, a move reminiscent of  
her predecessor as she bores holes into Naruto with her gaze. Then she finally sighs, pulling nervously on one of her pigtails and looking him straight in the eyes before casting her eyes downward to look at the woodgrains in her desk.

"The reason you're here Naruto-kun, is that someone infiltrated the village last night..." she pauses, looking up to see if she has the man's attention. He stares at her, annoyance plastered on his features as he nods, his eyes searching hers for an answer. She may as well get it over with. "They broke into..."

She pauses again, struggling with the information she is about to divulge. Naruto growls impatiently, what had happened? What was stolen?

"The intruders...they...they broke into the catacombs and stole your mother's body...Naruto-kun." the woman states, her eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see the look that she felt would decorate the man's face. A look of pain...but she opens her eyes in shock at the sound of breaking glass, hurrying over to the far window only to see Naruto hit the ground running, uncaring of the rain that pours down in sheets.

"Naruto-kun!" she screams over the sound of the rain. "Naruto-kun! Come back!"

He pays her no heed as he dashes madly towards the monument, slipping under the yellow tape and into the entrance.

:Catacombs:

"You can't go in he-" the guard is cut off with a grunt as he is pushed bodily aside, Naruto rushes down the lighted path.

I refuse to believe this!

'Naruto...'

It's been thirteen years since I got to see her again! Nobody took her body!

'Naruto...'

No! Shut up Kyuubi! Don't you say 'anything'! She's still here, she's-!

He enters the spacious catacombs where his mother's body is- ahem, 'was' stored, dropping to his knees as he sees the disarray of her tomb. The plaque was broken into two jagged pieces; the small golden decorative kunai shattered to bits in the dirt, a piece of the casket handle hangs haphazardly from the white half pipe like ring around the tomb, but the casket itself is nowhere in sight.

A sigh is heard from Kyuubi as she confirms his fears, not sensing the presence of the woman's body at all.

'She's gone kit...I'm sorry...'

The man takes a step back in shock, hitting the cool wall of the cave and immediately sliding down it to bury his face into his knees, body shaking.

"Why...why damnit?" he asks quietly, suddenly turning to deal a heavy laden chakra enforced punch into the wall, leaving a noticable dent and the shockwaves shake the lights hanging from the ceiling. He breathes slowly, letting the lights settle. "She's fucking dead and I've seen Hell! Isn't that enough you bastards?!"

He growls softly in annoyance, rubbing his temples violently as he hears approaching footsteps in the corridor, recognizing the scents as Tsunade, Haku and the guard. He really wasn't in the mood to talk now, if only he could disappear...

The Hokage, his brother, and the guard soon enter the catacombs, looking around in confusion as they are watched by Naruto who is leaning silently on the cave wall, waiting for them to say something as their eyes trail down to where he sits.

"I thought for sure he'd be here, he pushed right past me and ran in here, I stayed at the entrance until you came down Hokage-sama, Haku-san, and I swear that he never came back out!" the guard exclaims, bewildered, as he continues to look around. Tsunade and Haku both frown, taking one more cursory look around before shrugging and turning to leave. Naruto waits until the echo of the footsteps fade before sighing.

"I wonder why they couldn't see me..."

* * *

Anaki: That's another chapter done.

RC16: Wow...very short. Are you 'trying' to not get reviews?

Anaki: Shut up! Yeah I know, but it's kinda hard to write and work on a help forum at the same time.

RC16: Help forum? What the hell's a help forum and why are you working on it?

Anaki: Yeah, you know, for stressed out people or people on thier last rope and need someone to talk to. Right now I'm creating a few catergories, the main one's I have up now are General, Pressure, and GLBT. I can't think of anything else than that really, but I do know that I'm going to put another box under Pressure that relates to school life, for kids and teens you know?

RC16: Mhm, and all this does what now?

Anaki: I just want to help people, really. But to do that I really need staff members. The requirements to become a Global Moderator/Moderator are listed below:

The forum is located here: kifda. the General Board for 'Code Of Mod Conduct'.

Thanks!! .

RC16: Pfft, waste of time.

RC17: Oooh! Sounds cool! Yay! Don't forget to review peoples!


	6. Power

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Yay, new chapter! Can you guess who took Sanziya?

**Chapter Six: Power**

:Hokage's Personal Training Grounds, two weeks later:

**Author**

Naruto skids back hard, his bare feet digging into the ground in an attempt to slow his path out of the now electrified circle of energy. He only had three chances to be thrown out and all of them had been used, the fourth time would probably kill him if the amount of crackling electricity was any indication. Luckily he manages to stop a couple of inches away from the engraved line, leaning back to put weight on his back foot and pushing off to re-engage his opponent. The long black haired male suddenly appears behind him about to issue ten quick strikes to his lower spine.

_Hari Jizou! (Needle Guardian)_

Naruto thinks quickly to himself, mentally going through handseals as his hair surrounds him in a cocoon of porcupine-like spikes. Neji jumps back, clutching his now injured right hand, waiting for the spikes to turn back into soft hair. Naruto doesn't allow the other male to wait however, setting himself into a spin reminescent of the Kaiten and using his procupine quill like hair as a weapon. Neji is shocked, but quickly recovers, going into his own Kaiten spin to throw the other man off balance.

:Unknown:

Meanwhile...The rythymic chink of weapons premeates the air as always, seeing as the Weapons Master there was always tinkering with one of them.

"Well, here we are. So what are we going to do Obake (shapeshifter)? Please, lead us in this 'ritualistic endeavor'." Here, he gestures sarcastically at the table. "You 'are' our Head-" Shigure is cut off as he is cut in half by the blue haired woman with the white flower in her hair, now identified as Obake.

"Shut 'up' Shigure. You're sarcastic and you talk too much." she mumbles, using the blood dripping off of her hand to finish scribing seals around the table. Shigure, meanwhile, grumbles as his legs regrow from his severed torso and a new torso and head grow from his severed legs.

"Violent bitch." he grumbles, the rhythmic chink of weapons filling the air once again as his new 'brother' silently agrees.

"Your 'head' will go next Shigure and then we'll see you regenerate 'that' without help, now shut your insolent mouth." Obake murmurs, the flower in her hair turning a deep shade of ash, licking the blood from her hand as she finishes and grimacing. "Ugh, your blood tastes terrible, you'll be dead soon if you don't clean up your diet. Make yourself useful you tittering fool of a Weapons Master, go and summon everyone, we'll need their help if we are to complete this ritual with no repercussions."

Shigure grumbles silently to himself, going to find his colleagues and their leader.

:Hokage's Personal Training Grounds:

Neji slows in his Kaiten spin, Naruto seeing his chance to get in the man's guard as he stumbles backwards. He pants in pain and slight exhaustion, rolling his head on his shoulders as a particulary nasty block from the Hyuuga finally reopens itself before he charges forward, relying on his strength and taijutsu skills to see him through to the end of this fight, rather than his chakra based techniques. Kyuubi forcing his tenketsu open everytime he was hit wasn't very healthy nor pleasing. He charges a drained Neji, who manages to get in two Jyuuken strikes before receiving a hard uppercut to the his jaw as the Council and Tsunade look on silently.

The Hyuuga is tossed into the air, blood and a few teeth flying from his mouth all the while. The white-robed male, still slightly stunned and only just regaining his bearings, doesn't notice as Naruto jumps up next to him, slamming a heavy fist into his chest, sending him plummeting back down into the earth hard. Neji groans, picking himself out of the carter slowly and half-standing before a somewhat smirking Naruto.

"Part of this is for my rank change, and the other is for my earlier defeat." he states, appearing in front of the (now hunched over and coughing blood) Hyuuga, hearing some of his broken ribs grate against each other. "At least five of them are broken Neji-san, and your spine is in an even worse condition. I'm actually surprised you can stand, I do believe you have a punctured lung."

Naruto places one hand on Neji's left shoulder and the other gently on the right side of his head, applying slight pressure to indicate what would have been the snapping of the white eyed man's neck in a true battle.

Neji closes his eyes and bows his head in defeat as Tsume (acting as a member of the Council and current referee) calls the match.

"Winner: Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto!"

Naruto helps Neji to his feet, handing him over to a nearby medic and going over to the viewing Tsunade and the Council.

Tsunade stands, patting him lightly on the shoulder as she hands him a new blue hitae-ate and a green jounin flak jacket, he nods in thanks as Hinata, Konohamaru, Tsume, Shibi, Chouza, Shikaku, Sasuke, and Inoichi look on, silently giving their assent. Kotaru, Meiza, and Noein, being descendants of Koharu, Homura and Danzo respectively, neither gave consent nor opposed the idea, simply frowning slightly at this new turn of events.

"Congratulations Naruto, you are now a qualified jounin. I'll have a team assigned to you by tommorrow, you can either pass them and take up the team or you can fail them and take missions from me, either way you'll get paid." she tells him and he nods, shrugging into his new flak jacket and tying his hitae-ate around his neck tight enough to properly shield from anything aimed for his jugular, but loose enough to breathe comfortably. The Council members begin to disperse, Tsunade winking surreptitiously at him as she heads back to her office, but one Council member stays behind with the now smoking Naruto.

"You didn't kill him, did you Boss?" Konohamaru asks, smiling at the older man.

"No. Sarutobi was like a grandfather to me, much like you, he was my family," the blue eyed man blows smoke rings into the air, sighing. "...I had no reason to kill him." he stares at his cigarette for a moment, then takes a long drag and blows the smoke out through his nostrils. Konohamaru nods, satisfied with the man's answer, offering to treat him to dinner.

Naruto simply shakes his head, remembering his new (slightly annoying) limits, and politely declines, making up an excuse on the spot.

"Haku wanted me to help him plant a few vegetables in his garden today, maybe some other time?" the blonde replies in question, though both parties knew it wouldn't come to pass, Konohamaru nodding and favoring his permanent limp as he heads off to his house. He'd see if Hanabi would want to go, they'd leave the kids with a babysitter.

The blonde sighs, inhaling more smoke and expelling it again, disgusted with himself as he walks back to his house. He is quite startled (some ninja, pfft) as Jiraiya appears in front of him wearing a surgical mask, apparently to prevent spreading his lung disease. The man looked terrible, his color was pale and he looked exhausted, Naruto starts to chastise him for walking around in his condition but the old man's next words leave him speechless.

"We've found out who took your mother's body."

:Unknown:

"Did you recover the ring like I ordered Aoi?" Pein asks, tossing a neutral look towards the man named Aoi as he nods, handing the golden stamp ring with the kanji for Sora (Sky) on it to Pein. Orochimaru's ring. A low hum suddenly spreads through the hideout, alerting all to gather. "Hm, come, we are being summoned by Obake. They must've obtained what we needed."

Aoi nods, following quickly behind his leader.

* * *

Anaki: -annoyed- Short.

RC16: -sleepy- Yep.

Anaki: Writer's Block.

RC16: Yep.

Anaki: -devious- Hm...you suck.

RC16: Yep.

Anaki: Hahaha! Loser!

RC16: Hey! -angry- Screw you!

Anaki: Ew...not while you'e a guy...maybe if you grow boobs, get a sex change and get a foot and a half taller. Otherwise, not so much.

RC16: -starts tapping his head hard as if thinking-

Anaki: Oh, that's it! -tackles-

RC17: -sigh- Um, review. I gotta break them up. Ignore the German insults.


	7. Children

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: I refuse to change the names of Naruto's parents. As far as I'm concerned they are and always will be Arashi Kazama and Sanziya Uzumaki. And the flower girl will always be Obake or Rei to me, Konan is such a guy name and ooooh, turning into flippin' paper. What're ya gonna do, give me a paper cut? Get 'wet' on me? Pfft. Kishimoto's gone soft in the head if you ask me. So if you've got complaints, write 'em down and shove 'em up your arse 'cause I ain't gonna read 'em. Nope. Oh yeah, to my peeps, I've made a forum where I will begin responding to all future reviews. Now, onwards.

**Chapter Seven: Children**

:Konoha Streets:

**Naruto**

I frown, fixing my old sensei with a heavy look as I nearly choke on my cigarette in surprise. I growl inwardly, it wasn't becoming for a ninja, that's how you end up dead. I quickly school my features back into indifference, gesturing for Jiraiya to follow me as we walk back to the house. If there was a traitor in the village...then it wouldn't do for them to hear.

:Home:

We get inside and I shut the door behind me, sending a chakra pulse throughout the entire house that would incinerate anyone who wasn't supposed to be here. Apparently Haku and Zabuza weren't home at the moment. Good. I go over and sit in front of my tired looking former sensei, picking my new earring that Haku had bought me up from the table. It was a blue sapphire, to match my eyes he had told me when he'd pierced my ear yesterday. I take out the gold post and slip the hanging jewelry in, capping it off as I look at Jiraiya, seriousness pasted on my features.

"Where is she?" I ask, putting out my cigarette so that the smoke wouldn't hinder his already labored breathing.

He opens his mouth to speak, not that I can tell with that damn mask covering his face, but starts hacking up a lung before he can get out a word. A few pills and some water and the coughs subside. I'm not too terribly worried, Tsunade was his chief healer after all and she was supposed to be the best medic in all of Hi No Kuni (lit: Land of Fire). He sighs and starts again.

"We don't know exactly, but we have a solid lead."

I growl in the back of my throat, I'd kill the fuckers that took her.

"Where?"

"Near the Tsuchi and Kusa no Kuni (Earth and Grass Country) borders. That's supposedly -violent cough- where their base is stationed, under the guise of a series of caved-in abandoned underground escape tunnels."

I get up, helping Jiraiya to his feet and putting a hand on his shoulder, putting a bit of his chakra into the kanji on the man's headguard and using it to teleport to the Hokage's office.

:Hokage's Office:

**Author**

Naruto gently sits a silent Jiraiya down in a chair, seating himself as he looks over to the blonde Hokage, the Sannin eyeing them questioningly.

Jiraiya, meanwhile, muses on how the blonde figured out that his headguard was a direct bypass through the Hokage's anti-teleport systems.

Eh, I am getting old, maybe I told him when he was younger.

"Yes?" she asks, putting on a pair of glasses and looking back down to her paperwork, continuing to read as Naruto begins to talk.

"Hokage-sama, I respectfully request to be sent on a mission to the Tsuchi and Kusa border to apprehend the fugitiv-"

"No." she murmurs without looking up, unpertrubed when the lot of it is sent flying off her desk by an angered jinchurikki's arm. He growls, slamming his now clawed hands flat upon the desk, the wood creaking ominously from the strain and pressure.

"Why the fuck not?!"

"You have a genin team to attend to, I don't intend to allow you to skip out on that. You'll go there in a rage and you are more than likely to be returned to Konohagakure in a pine box." she replies, still reading the one paper that remains in her hand and then finally signing it with a sigh, taking off her glasses and laying them down atop the paper. "Also, I will not be loosing a valuable shinobi because you wish to find your 'dead' mother's body. While you may refuse to believe it, she is in fact 'quite' dead, and while I realize that the body may have sentimental or emotional value to you I cannot allow you to-"

Naruto growls, cutting her off with a violent hand gesture, his eyes a shade of deep indigo and whisker marks becoming so deep that they look almost burned into his face.

"You didn't even know her... shit, where were you when your home village was being attacked? Out somewhere loosing money and getting piss-ass drunk. Don't try and lecture me or talk shit about kaa-san. She'd be a better Hokage than you, hell, anyone in this whole damn building, no, the village would be!" Naruto hisses, digging his claws deeper into the desk, not noticing the damage he's causing with his rage or the malevolent chakra seeping from his very being. Tsunade frowns, not turning away from this man-turned-threat, even though he hadn't 'actively' threatened her yet.

"If you attack me I will be forced to defend myself and you will not like the results." Tsunade takes on a dangerous smirk, yet not enjoying her current position at all. "Or did you enjoy being in jail so much that you would like to try for 'another' thirteen years?

Naruto snarls at Tsunade but she doesn't bat an eyelash and he probably 'would've' attacked her had the Deer masked ANBU not suddenly appeared beside him with a katana leveled significantly close to his jugular vein.

"Stand down, Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto." the ANBU murmurs, drawn by the extremely high chakra being given off from the man, rolls his eyes underneath the mask although his knees shake slightly. This was the power he had now? Thank god they were friends because he was sure if it was anyone else they would've murdered the jinchurikki on the spot.

The blonde lowers his slowly bleeding blue eyes to the desk, berating himself for loosing control like he did. Kyuubi agrees silently, shaking her head in disappointment.

"I am...sorry...Hokage-sama." Naruto murmurs, his voice tight with anger and pain. "I...will... drop...the matter...and go attend to my genin team."

Jiraiya, who had been watching silently, nods to an unresponsive Naruto as he steps past him and walks out of the double doors. The Deer masked ANBU bows to Tsunade and returns to his post.

"Was that necessary Tsunade?" the white-haired Sannin asks as Tsunade silently gets up to pick up the papers.

"Yes, I can't have him go and get himself killed by the Akatsuki, especially not with the new members they have. If anyone goes at all it won't be over someone's dead body, no matter how much of a hero she was to Konoha while alive, and if being a bitch is what will get him to stay, then I'll be a bitch."

:Konoha Ninja Academy:

Naruto steps through the ajar classroom door, neatly sidestepping the bucket of water as it falls, ducking as a chalk eraser comes flying at his head and jumping up to stick to the ceiling when the floor crumbles beneath him.

"Alright, all pranks done?" he asks, looking down to the three sheepish children remaining in the room as they nod. The unofficial team consisted of a red-haired girl, a black haired boy with sunglasses on and a brown haired boy. Naruto shakes his head, a ghost of a small smile on his lips. "I pulled stuff like this when I was your age, you can't hope to get one over on me. Come on, follow me."

He pulls out a cigarette from his front pocket, lighting in and taking a long drag before turning and walking out the door (still on the ceiling), the trio following behind him with various thoughts running through their heads.

Who is this guy? He looks like the Yondaime.

Awesome! I didn't know Naruto-san was our sensei!

That long hair is just beautiful, almost like the sun, I wonder if this was the man daddy was talking about the other day.

:Training Ground Fourteen:

Naruto leans against a tree, crushing his cigarette on his tongue and putting it in his empty back pant pocket (having only worn a light chest wrap as it was a mildly warm day), earning winces from the children seated in front of him.

"Alright, introduce yourselves. Name, age, what you enjoy, what you don't, short and long term goals, parentage and hobbies."

The only girl of the team raises her hand.

"Yes?" Naruto asks, giving her permission to speak.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first? It's politer to give one's name first, then ask of others."

The blonde sighs, giving another nod as he clears his throat.

"My name is Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto. I am currently twenty five years old. I enjoy freedom and Kyuubi when she isn't being annoying. I don't enjoy thieves who think they can get away with being underhanded. My short-term goal is to find my mother's body. My long term goal is and always will be to meet interesting people outside of this village. My father was the Yondaime, Arashi Kazama. My mother was a master fighter, Uzumaki-Kazama Amari Sanziya. My sole hobby is training."

He looks over the stunned faces of the children with another sigh as he points to the red-haired girl.

"You, ginger kid, go."

The two boys hold down their snickers as the girl glares at them.

"My name is Uchiha Torii and my hair is red because of a recessive gene in my parents. I am eleven years old. I enjoy my two birds Shizuki and Malichai. I don't enjoy people who think they are better than others. My short term goal is to pass my final Genin exam. My long term is to become a great kunoichi. My parents are Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Ino. My hobbies are training and feeding my birds."

"Alright, you, darkness, go."

The black haired kid frowns beneath his high collared coat as the other kids laugh at his new nickname.

"My name is Aburame Shi. I am eleven years old. I enjoy my Kikaichu and other bugs. I don't enjoy people who hurt them or any other bugs. My short term goal is to gain complete control over my father's techniques. My long term is to study how different bugs can be used effectively in battle. My hobby is teaching my Kikaichu how to form words to communicate with me."

"Okay, last but not least, Shogi bastard, go."

Torii clamps her hand over her mouth in shock and Shi raises an eyebrow but the brown haired boy shrugs it off like it's nothing.

"My name is Nara-Akimichi Chosaru. I am eleven. I enjoy kicking your ass in Shogi and tending to my favorite deer, Lucy. I don't enjoy being beaten in Shogi by your flukes or being beaten by my father for that matter. My short term goal is to help Lucy have her foals. My long term is to be able to retire from my ninja career with all my limbs and my sanity intact."

Naruto's eye twitches slightly as he listens to Chosaru introduce himself 'and' call his wins 'flukes', but he sighs and shrugs, standing up.

"Alright you wannabes, I've set up the first part of your test in this training ground. There is something blue placed anywhere you can think off in these grounds and all you have to do is obtain aforementioned treasure. I'll give you a hint: It comes from the earth, but can be manmade. It glints in the light, but it is not gold. And once it is cut, it doesn't heal. Once you all have obtained this object, please return here for the next part. I'll be waiting."

The three genin watch in slight awe and annoyance as their sensei disappears in a poof of smoke.

"Well, let's do this guys." Torii says, stretching as she stands and walks off in a random direction, the boys following slowly behind her.

:In Search Of A Stupid Riddle: Training Ground Fourteen:

"Okay, where could it be? We've combed over every inch of the place twice!" Torii growls, pulling at her hair in frustration. Chosaru frowns, getting into a thinking position as Shi's Kikaichu return with no results. "What're you doing Cho?"

"Shh." the boy whispers, waving her off. "You'll see."

He crouches for a good fifteen minutes before hopping back up abruptly.

"I've got it! Come on!"

He speeds back to the training ground clearing, his two teammates close behind him as he bursts from the bushes to see Naruto practicing his katas against a Kage Bunshin in the center of a drawn ring. The three stand there for a little while, just watching the man parry, block and strike at the clone, before he finally dispels it with a hard kick to its sternum and turns to the children.

"Well? Have you found it yet?"

Chosaru steps forward, tugging at the saphire in his sensei's right ear with a smile.

"Yep."

"Good. Observation test completed. Next test: Survival."

Chosaru has no time to react as Naruto aims a swift knee hit to his stomach, making him fall over and retch in pain.

"Love ya kid, but that was for that crack about my wins being flukes. You have thirty minutes to lay traps, hide and prepare in general. I will be coming at you with all the intents of an enemy from another country, meaning the intent to kill. If you are hit in a vital spot with one of these," he holds up some red colored paint filled capsules. "Then you are officially 'dead'; not cut out to be a genin and you will be sent you back to the Academy. Oh, and there's a new rule this year: I can let one of you go back and have a team of two or let two go back and have an apprentice, so three man teams don't matter. If you don't pass this part with remotely flying colors, I'll send you back."

The three genin balk in fear and anger.

"What?!"

"You can't do that!"

"...We weren't informed of this rule ealier. Why?"

Naruto smirks, baring his sharp canines.

"Because I didn't feel like it. Now get going!"

The three angry genin race out of the clearing, jumping through the trees to put as much distance and time between them and their instructor as possible.

Hehe, they actually believed that. Suckers. Just more incentive for them to work together.

'You're evil, you know that?'

Yep.

Naruto sighs, rocking back on his heels and stretching his hands above his head before letting gravity take his body to the ground with a hard thump.

"Kyuubi, wake me in 30 minutes will you?"

His surrogate sister nods as the man slips through the bars of her eternal prison, laying himself down on the couch and quickly falling asleep.

'It's sad, what you have been through Naruto.' she murmurs, the illusion falling off the couch to reveal her fifth tail nestled comfortably underneath the blonde as she wraps the sixth around his torso in a protective embrace. 'But I swear, if nothing else, we'll find them.'

She didn't add the part about Soriyu still being 'alive'.

Of course, she couldn't, because, how would she know?

:Akatsuki Base:

"Everyone is here?" Obake asks, looking over the people standing at key points on the Grand Arcanum diagram drawn on the floor. They nod as she ticks them off on her fingers. "Pein, Shigure, Zetsu, Tobi, Magiro, Yurei, Aoi, Feiya, and Jun-ri. Good."

Obake goes over to the table, using a brush dipped in an inkwell of everyone's blood to draw the kanji for 'Rebirth' on the forehead and between the breasts of the limp, naked body, finishing with an unnatural, sick-minded smile.

"Alright, everyone release the blocks on your chakra and let it flow naturally through the Arcanum to the center point so that we may revive this 'poor' soul." the blue haired woman states, clasping her hands together around a great length of what looked at first glance to be black prayer beads. They were in actuality called 'Namige-ka', the stones (or beads) of the dead. They were the sign of a Master Necromancer, each time a soul was successfully resurrected, a bead was added to the white strand.

The piece of soul inside that bead anchors it to this world, and once the bead is destroyed, so goes the soul. Obake took care to never destroy her beads, who knows when you'd need an army of undead soldiers? There were more than five hundred veritable walking corpses on the Earth simply because of her, living normal, boring, everyday lives as civilians, seemingly 'lucky' ninja or field agents for the organization.

Obake sighs, muttering an incantation under her breath and tossing as much Dead Chakra as she dared into the beads. They begin to shine a sickly shade of yellow as she unwinds them from her hands; placing them almost lovingly around the corpse's throat. The other Akatsuki members don't react as she kisses the cold, dead lips, breathing life into the shriveled lungs and rejuvenating the frozen blood cells. The blue-haired woman pulls away slowly, letting the 'Rebirth' symbols take their time synchronizing with the beads before sinking into the body and taking the Living Chakra provided by the other Akatsuki members with them.

"Stand, my great one. Let me see what you have become. Let me see your beauty." Obake murmurs, bowing low to the floor and whispering now. "Let me see all of you, my love."

The other Akatsuki members watch in slight amusement.

The corpse's eyes open, revealing milk-green orbs. It stands, heedless of its unclothed state.

"Why am I alive?" Sanziya asks, her voice rough from thirteen years of disuse. "Has it been fifteen years already?"

"No, my mistress. Only thirteen. It was I who brought you and the phoenix back to life."

Sanziya looks as though she is about to have a heart attack when she hears the voice.

"O-Obake? You're alive?"

"Yes mistress, now please, put on some clothes and help us." she states, straightening up and tossing a bundle at Sanziya, who quickly gets dressed and looks at her questioningly.

"With what?"

Obake grins, putting two fingers to the woman's head and sending a pulse of chakra through her system, effectively brainwashing her with minimal effort.

"Oh, nothing really, just a little world domination."

* * *

Anaki: Oooh, twist!

RC16: Damn, I wasn't expecting that.

Anaki: Me niether, it just kinda went that way.

RC16: Well...it's decent.

Anaki: Aw, I knew you loved me! -hugs-

RC16: -sigh- Get off me.

Anaki: No! -hugs tighter-

RC16: -sighs again- Help?

RC17: -laughs at them both- They be sillies. Review!


	8. Surviving

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Alright, so I was totally reading over the last chapter and I literally slapped myself in the forehead when I realized: I didn't put Shi's or Chosaru's parents in! Lol, even though ya'll already know who Chosaru's parents are (Chouji and Shikamaru j-i-c you forgot) I had meant to reveal Shi's parents. So, here, sorry 'bout that, but they are: Aburame Shino and Aburame Ashui. Remember the initials on the handkerchief? Thought I forgot didn't you? Heh.

Also, I had a few questions about exactly 'how' Obake's necromancer powers work. Well...it's complicated. Okay, I know most stories say that necromancers bring back bodies without souls or that they cannot revive the dead to what they were before they died because of restrictions on their powers. However, in my odd mind, I feel that 'Master' Necromancers have a pact with Death (or the Shinigami in this case). For however many souls they resurrect/rebirth during their lifetime, wether taken from Death's grip or not (like Sanziya's), that is how many years they will have to remain under Death's right hand until they can go back to active duty (i.e: Be reborn and grow back into their powers once more.) so basically Obake has 500+ years of servitude waiting for her. Nice eh? If you need/want more info just email me.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Surviving**

:Training Ground Fourteen:

**Author**

:Dream/Flashback:

"Smile you little bitch. It's your birthday and I'm going to give you your punches."

Naruto turns away to go to his room, shrugging off the older boy's threat. It wouldn't do to get in a fight, he needed to live in this orphanage.

"Don't turn away when I'm talking to you shortie!" the boy growls, grabbing the diminuitive boy by the shoulder. "You hear me?!"

Naruto growls, quickly forgetting his mantra to let his fist swing and smash into the boy's face with a strength that shouldn't be possible for a five year old, hearing a satisfying crunch as the boy's nose breaks.

The boy lets loose a howl of pain, clapping his hands over his profusely bleeding and slowly swelling nose.

"I'b gonna tell Mrs. Nanby on bou! Mrs. Nanby! The bittle freak hit be abd broke by nose!"

The small blonde child gasps in realization. If Mrs. Nancy caught him she would through him out and Jiji wouldn't be happy. He didn't want Jiji to be mad at him, Jiji was the only one who cared!

"No Johnathan! Please don't tell Mrs. Nancy, s-s-she'll beat me, she'll...she'll...she'll throw me out!"

"Good!" Johnathan manages to smirk and then wince in pain as an old lady comes hobbling out of a side office, chewing on a wad of tobacco and waving a wicked looking flogger in the air.

"What boy? What has that evil child done now?!" she asks, spitting off to the side in a conveniently placed pot. "I told Sarutobi he was of bad blood! Blonde hair and blue eyes and everything else to boot, he's unnnatural!"

"He broke by nose Mrs. Nanby!" Johnathan yells over Naruto's cries of 'it was an accident!', glaring in triumph at the frightened child as the acrid scent of urine fills the air. "Oh look, the baby peed himbelf Mrs. Nanby!"

"How dare you! I take time out of my day to scrub these floors and you soil them with your filth! Punching Johnathan too, boy? One of the best children here?! One hundred lashes!" she screams, raining blow upon blow down onto the boy with the flogger, making angry red welts whereever there is exposed skin. Naruto cries out with each blow, finally managing to find an opening and escape, wrenching open the door with his tiny hands and disappearing into the night.

"And don't come back you little heathen!" Nancy screams after him, grabbing a heavy clock off of the side table and chucking it at him. Thankfully it misses, smashing into the ground with a crack as Mrs. Nancy slams the front door shut.

:Konoha Streets:

Naruto scoops up some cool water from a puddle, thankful it had finished raining before he had gotten out of the orphanage as he rubs it over his painful welts, hissing in pain as he does so.

"Why does Mrs. Nancy hate me?" he asks, looking down at the puddle as he continues to rub more cool water onto his wounds. "I never did anything to her or any of the other kids, but they all treat me like dirt. Lower than dirt."

He begins to rub harder, trying to rinse away the pain.

"I'll show them! I'll show them all!" he murmurs, beginning to cry. "I'll become the Hokage and make them all like me, then I'll be mean to them like they are to me!"

He growls, slamming his little fist into the water and seeing sudden a flash of red in the ripples, but as he tries to focus, it disappears.

"Now that's not very nice little guy, who was being mean to you?" a voice asks from behind the blonde.

Naruto turns around, coming face-to-face with a young man, maybe around 20 or 21, with a horizontal scar across the bridge of his nose.

:End Dream/Flashback:

:Inside Naruto's Mindscape:

'Naruto, get up, time to go terrorize the Genin.'

Naruto grunts, stretching his arms as he sits up on the edge of the couch.

"I had another dream Kyuubi."

'Really? That's odd, you don't normally dream this much.' she asks, coming over to re-braid his hair into a long ponytail and replace the makibishi laced throughout it, knowing it'd carry over to the real world. 'What was it about?'

"The orphanage, I don't know where you were then, probably still sleeping, but I remember it very clearly. Mrs. Nancy was an evil bitch, you know that? I wonder if she's still alive."

Kyuubi shrugs, continuing to thread makibishi into the braiding process with deft fingers, not getting a scratch from the tiny spiked balls.

"Who knows? Maybe the old bat kicked the bucket after I left, it'd serve her right."

Kyuubi silently agrees, finishing the braid with a ghost of a smile on her face.

'Alright Naruto, go do your job, don't be 'too' hard on them please?'

Naruto frowns, flicking his braid around to catch it and clench it tight in his hand, letting the hidden spikes pierce the soft flesh.

"Thank you for re-braiding my hair, Kyuubi. I'll see you later, ne?" he replies, avoiding the question and flicking the blood off his fingers.

:Real World: Training Ground Fourteen:

Naruto hms to himself, leaping to his feet and into the trees with practiced ease, but he stumbles slightly as his eyes start to burn.

"Ah, humble pain to keep me alive." he murmurs, reciting his thirteen year old mantra from those long, dark hours spent in the prison where bitter cold seeped into his bones.

He'd gone temporarily batshit insane in the first few years, when he was allowed no visitors and it was always dark and cold, so fucking dark that he couldn't even see his breath condensating in the air 'from' the cold. They fed him once a month or less he guessed, it was impossible to tell time down here. He hated it and was always doing something to occupy his attention wether it be tapping the side of his head with his growing fingernails or walking around to memorize every crack and corner of his cell.

Boredom and hunger had left him to killing and eating the rats that scurried around him daily. Luckily there was running water down there and he could flush his toilet and get his fill of cool water when the rats ran scarce. However, like anyone trapped in pure darkness for too long, he'd cracked, screaming and throwing himself at the bars of his cell, The Lake inside his mind churning and forthing with pain and torment, Kyuubi's normally soothing voice being overridden by the loud noise of the water.

"Naruto! Naruto! Please calm down! It'll be alright!" she screamed but to no avail. He'd grabbed a discarded rib bone from a rat and stabbed himself in the eyes over and over, ignoring or not hearing Kyuubi's pleas to stop.

"They wish to keep me in darkness? Make me insane?!" he asked to the empty cold air, a laughing tone to his voice as he continued, hot red blood running in rivulets down his face. "Hahaha! They don't know what insane is! Hehehehe! Darkness? Darkness?! They haven't experienced true darkness! Only I know true darkness!! Darkness and Pain! They are my life! Hehehehehehehe!!"

Naruto shakes his head to clear the memories as he rubs his eyes, they'd taken quite some time to heal (even with Kyuubi forcing her chakra to heal the self-inflicted wounds), and even now, thirteen years later, they still ached. A memory he supposed.

"Well, time to find the wannabes. Come out, come out, whereever you are."

:On the farthest side of TG#14:

"Do you think we have enough traps, guys?" Torii asks, finishing wrapping a vine around the bottom of two tree trunks and burying it carefully under explosive leaves. The slightest heavy motion could set them off. She makes three normal bunshin, henge-ing two of them into copies of Shi and Chosaru and having them mill around, acting like they're setting up things.

"Yes, and there are enough of my Kikaichu swarming around to leech off more than half of his chakra." Shi replies offhandedly, tacking a small but powerful explosive note to the underside of another leaf and laying it face down to the ground after imbuing it with a miniscule amount of chakra.

"Don't underestimate his chakra levels Shi, my dad told me that because he has the Kyuubi sealed inside him he has an insane amount of chakra and stamina." Chosaru murmurs as he finishes attaching something to the tree he's near and they jump high into the treetops without disturbing the leaves, taking off and trying to mask their chakra as they go.

Naruto appears soon after, landing in the thick of the leaves as the tags go off, each simultaneously triggering the other. Far off in the distance on a tree branch, Chosaru snickers to himself, having heard the explosion.

"That's what you get for kicking me in the stomach." he murmurs gleefully, but his joy turns to shock as he hears a familiar voice just by his ear.

"Oh really?" the blonde asks, reaching for the boy's throat and failing as he twists out of the way, a barrage of kunai slamming into him from the other two members of the unofficial team. The many Kikaichu hovering around finally perk up at the scent of his building chakra, beginnning to swarm over his body but beginning to burn and fly away in agony as the indigo aura surrounds them, casting them off like ants as the kunai lodged into various parts of his body begin to 'melt'. While the wounds immediately heal up, he tilts his head to the side with an animalistic grin as the Genin stare on in fear, momentarily forgetting that this is a test. "Now really wannabes, if you want to take me down, it's going to take more effort than that!"

Naruto growls, grabbing a surprised Chosaru by the throat and swiping his slightly dull clawed hand back, popping a hidden capsule in the process and smearing the fake blood over the struggling boy's neck as he draws away his hand. Chosaru's previously widened eyes slip shut and he drops limply onto the branch, out cold.

"Chosaru!" Torii and Shi scream, their minds in fight or flight mode, now completely disregarding the fact that this is indeed a 'test' to rush at their instructor in anger. Naruto simply stands still, hands hidden behind his back moving in synch. The angry Genin go for a split formation, intending to hit him in each side with multiple shuriken, only to end up hitting an unconscious Chosaru as he is put inbetween the attack, strung up like a puppet on indigo chakra strings. As the boy slowly bleeds to death from two fatal wounds in his side, Torii becomes violently sick, sinking to her knees and throwing up the majority of her breakfast. Shi shakes, his composure wavering as his remaining Kikaichu return to his body.

Then the corpse of Chosaru poofs out in a cloud of smoke and Naruto is behind the two Genin, his now razor sharp claws pricking the hollows of their throats ever so gently.

"From the mouth of a brilliant master fighter I once knew: You do not rush at an enemy without knowing their attacks, strengths, weaknesses, 'that is how you die'." he states, letting his nails regain their former dullness before pulling his hands away. "Chosaru isn't dead, he's laying on the forest floor with a possible concussion and/or broken limbs. I "accidentally" dropped him, talking shit about 'my' shogi skills, little bastard. Oh yeah, by the way..."

He pops two capsules on the Genin's chests.

"You're dead."

He steps back, stretching languidly and waving to them as he poofs out.

The two Genin blink in shock before Torii breaks down sobbing, Shi sighing and going to find Chosaru.

:Konoha Streets:

Naruto ambles down the road, yet another cancer-stick nestled between pink lips as he makes his way to the Hokage Tower. Villagers in the road quickly move out of his way, whispering.

_Still whispering. Still. I know what I am. They all know. What is there to whisper?_

'That is the nature of humans Naruto.'

_Then I am glad I'm not one anymore._

Kyuubi sighs, although a slight smile sits on her face.

:Akatsuki Base:

"What's wrong, Zizi-koi?" Obake asks, threading her fingers through the hair of the phoenix woman sitting on the dais at her feet.

"Nothing love, I just keep having flashes someone with blonde hair. It's a boy covered in blood and kanji. Do you know who he is? Have we met him before?" Sanziya asks, leaning back into the other woman's touch with a sigh and closing her eyes. Therefore she doesn't see Obake's surprise or subsequent anger at the spoken words.

"No, I don't know him and we've never met anyone like that Zizi-koi." Obake murmurs, standing up and stepping around in front of Sanziya to help her to her feet, pressing her lips gently to the slightly shorter woman's forehead. "Come love, we have some things to prepare for, and I want to get you some new clothes. I can't very well have my precious little pet walking around in such drab colors, now can I?"

Sanziya giggles, following behind the blue haired woman like a lovestruck puppy, which, when you think about it, she basically was.

:Hokage Tower:

"Well, how'd it go Naruto? Do we have another batch of genin to add?" Tsunade asks, looking up from her paperwork only to see a piece of paper being held in her face. She quickly skims the heading of the paper, her eyes widening in shock as she takes it in. "Shinobi Resignation?!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

* * *

Anaki: I. Love. Twists.

RC16: -dryly- So we see.

Anaki: -rolls eyes- Are you ready for Pissy Indian/Pilgrim Feud Day?

RC16: Huh? You mean Thanksgiving?

Anaki: No, I mean Pissy Indian/Pilgrim Feud Day. The Native Americans don't have anything to be thankful for. They helped the Pilgrims and then got turned on. Until they get at least 'some' of their rightful land back it will be known as Pissy Indian/Pilgrim Feud Day.

RC16: Wow...so I'm guessing you're just in it for the food since you're black?

Anaki: -grins- Racist sunuvabitch. But yeah. Only the food, I have a right to be pissed at the 'Man' too, they took my ancestors away from Africa (not that not it's a nice country in 'some' parts) and made 'em work on plantations picking fucking cotton and being beaten for 200 years, and then they think a little money will fix it. Bull-shit. (Course, nowadays that's all blacks care about because they're too lazy to get jobs and work for what they want, everything needs to be handed to them. I don't consider myself in that majority, I actually hold a steady job.) Come to think of it, most immigrants have a reason to be angry, all the crap they went through getting here and suffering, yeah, everyone except the people that didn't go through the proper channels. Yeah, I'm talking to you illegies. I don't have a problem with you being here, but at least be registered.

RC16: ...Do you have to give every holiday an obscure name?

Anaki: Yep, wait till you see what "Christmas" is gonna be.

RC16:...-sighs- I don't think I'll wanna know.

RC17: Kinda political? I dunno, ranting thing. Yeah, Anaki's weird. Lol, review guys! Sorry if we offended anybody by getting off topic or talking about this (albeit backwards) holiday in general. We love you all!


	9. Formalities

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

thinking

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Okay, so far I've gotten few reviews, (with the exception of the little hiatus I took, needed time to work on my U.S History project without the deadline for this next chapter hitting, sorry if I scared anyone too badly, I'd never give up on this fic, especially when I have another sequel following this one. Maybe. ; Oops, too much 'information'...) I guess I took it a little too far with my rant about Thanksgiving and/or Naruto's sudden resignation attempt. Sorry guys, didn't mean anything by it and I hope no one was too offended.

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Formalities**

:Hokage's Office:

**Author**

Tsunade looks at the paper for about five seconds before shaking her head.

"You are not amenable to be putting forth a letter of resignation Naruto-kun, I cannot and will not grant you this request. You are too valuable to this village-"

"Because I hold Kyuubi."

"Yes, you understand I see, and it is for that rea-"

"Yeah, I understand fine Hokage-sama, Konoha can't lose its precious Jinchurikki. No, no, that would be bad, especially if another village, like say, Iwa, swayed me to its cause. It would just be terrible, wouldn't it? Not to mention for my 'fragile' mental state. Don't look so shocked Hokage-sama, I hear you and Jiraiya-sensei talking at night, 'very' good hearing you know, thanks to Nee-san and all." Naruto smiles, a feral look in his eyes as Tsunade begins to frown. "And I hear what you both say about me:

'We can't let him go on any big missions, I've seen the way he flinches when he's touched, by anyone Jiraiya, even you. Even me. The only person he accepts is Haku.'

'Yes, well, he seems to still be reeling from the aftereffects of both rapes, and being imprisoned for as long as he was didn't help matters. He's no more used to human contact than he was before Sanziya's death.'

'What are we going to do about his mind? He seems very prone to random bouts of anger when he doesn't get his way, not to mention his merging with Kyuubi makes for some of the worst killing intent ever felt. Do you think we did right in unsealing his chakra?'

'Yes, I think we did, there's no mistake there. Naruto may seem unstable to you, Tsunade, and everyone else, but think, he has been out of touch with any humans except Haku for thirteen years, you can't expect him to bounce back to how he was before, or bounce back to a 'regular' attitude immediately, if at all.'

"Those conversations are none of your-!" Tsunade starts, being cut off once again by the blonde.

"Yeah, I know, I honestly don't care, you know? I just wanted to see how you'd react to a formal resignation. I don't like to think that I'll enjoy what I am about to do, because of what you have done for me. Thank you for freeing me from prison by the way."

"What do you mean by 'formal'?" Tsunade asks, inching back a bit and slipping her hand underneath the desk to hover just over a button, she had a feeling of what the man was about to say and she also had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good for her or anyone else.

"Well..."

:Z and H's House:

"Shit, shit, shit!" Haku curses, exceeding what is normally used by the standardly reserved man on a 'yearly' basis. "I told him not to! I fucking told him, now he's going to be arrested or tortured or killed for treason or all three! Kami-sama, why?! Fuck! Zabuza?! Zabuza! Come on, we have got to go NOW! Naruto's about to do something extremely..."

:Konoha Rooftops:

"Stupid! How could he be so stupid Chouji? Did that jail mess up his mind?" Shikamaru sighs, his deer mask firmly over his face as he clenches the note pinned to the inside of Chosaru's vest in a death grip. Chouji (who's directly beside him in full body armour) shakes his head in disbelief as they race to the Hokage Tower.

"I don't know honey, but you know Naruto, he never does anything without a reason. If we aren't able to get him out of this though, then I don't know what will happen."

:Forest Of Death:

"Well Tsume?" Anko asks, leaning back onto the tree branch as she throws another dango stick, completing the 'Waterfall' symbol embedded into the adjacent tree trunk.

"Eh, it could be fun, but count me out, you're welcome to go by all means, but I don't fancy being hunted down by Oinin for the rest of my life. You may not hold ties to this village since Sarutobi and Sanziya's deaths, but I do. So go with him, have fun, but just be ready for a damn good fight if I ever come across you."

Anko grins, chewing on another stick of dango before jumping down and stretching.

"Will do. Suit yourself Ume-chan. Ja." she murmurs with a smile as she disappears.

"Aa, I hate it when she calls me that."

:Hokage Tower:

An alarm blares throughout the tower, alerting all to Procedure Number 98, the civilian personel immediately flee from the tower while the stationed shinobi all make their way to the Hokage's Office to defend and/or aid the woman. However, they get there only to find an blood spattered desk, an open window, and the Hokage on the floor with a huge, ragged hole in her stomach. Shizune is already beside her trying to heal it as about seven other medics begin helping as well, forcing blood pills and a myriad of other things down the woman's throat.

"It's not life threatening, whoever did this used a technique with so much concentrated chakra that it went straight through and cauterized everything. They must have been a skilled medic to not damage any other organs with their foreign chakra. We'll have to get the blood vessels and nerves working again however." Shizune states, Ton-Ton in the corner 'bwei'ing pitifully.

Shikamaru, Chouji, Haku and Zabuza look on at the scene in sorrow and anger, knowing that their friend/brother has already gone through with his plan and that they were too late to stop him. Jiraiya comes up behind them, coughing as he makes eye contact with them and holds up a folded note. They nod subtlety and he nods as well before quickly pocketing it. No sense being indicted for treason, he'd burn it first chance he got. The only Council Member on the scene, Hinata, covers her mouth in shock as she turns to one of the residing ANBU captains.

"Lock down the village. No one gets in or out, find out who did this! Now!"

A groan from Tsunade stops everyone in their tracks as she begins to sit up, despite protests from the numerous medics surrounding her.

"Shut up." she growls at them as she looks over to Hinata and sighs. "Put out a search for Uzumaki Naruto, use caution with him, he seems to be mentally unstable. If possible, 'do not' engage him in combat, and once you have apprehended him, bring him 'directly' to me. Go."

The shinobi in the room nod, scattering.

:Konoha Gates:

"Ready to go, Sori-san?" a heavily tanned man with black hair in a long braid asks, leaning against the still open gates, looking up into the sky. In actuality he was looking at the empty guard towers with a slight smile. There would be no casualties today.

A red haired woman hurries over from the dango stand, laden with a myriad of different packets of dango in her arms as she attempts to stuff them into her jacket pockets. The tanned man smiles, gesturing for the packets and pulling his kanji decorated straw hat from his back to put them inside it. He then quickly flips it upside down, putting it atop his head. The dango packets have disappeared. Sori grins, chomping down on a pink colored mochi ball.

"Hai, let's go Norimu-sama."

Norimu nods, turning to walk out of the gate, but he is stopped by a number of ANBU and other Konoha ninja.

Shit.

'Shit indeed.'

"Hello Shinobi-san, my ward and I were just leaving to return to our homeland, we simply stopped here for a while so she could get some dango and we could rest, do you need something?" Norimu asks, lacing his hands behind his back carefully, not making any sudden movements.

Haku steps forth, holding out his hand and gesturing.

"I will need to see your papers foreigner. We cannot be too cautious, 'someone' just attempted to assassinate our Kage." he murmurs, keeping his gaze firmly on the man in front of him.

Translation: I'm going to let you leave for now, I'm 'extremely' disappointed in you, do what you need to, come back safely.

"Of course Shinobi-san." Norimu states, pulling out a few papers from underneath his hat slowly, he didn't want to make any quick movements lest he end up skewered. "Here are mine and Sori-san's papers."

Haku looks them over before handing them to another shinobi behind him to verify, the shinobi nods before turning to the Hyuuga next to him with his Byakugan active.

"See anything Hyoru?" he asks as the lavender eyed man shakes his head.

"Nope, they're not lying, they're civilians. No Henge or anything."

Haku nods, handing the two back their papers and stepping aside.

"You're free to go, be careful."

"Of course Shinobi-san, thank you. I do hope you find this terrible man."

Haku nods, surreptitiously slipping a piece of paper into the man's hand as he passes.

:Akatsuki Headquarters:

A raven taps at the window of Obake's room, a pale hand snaking out from underneath the covers to lazily toss a pillow at the bird behind the glass.

"Go 'way bird." a voice mumbles from underneath the covers as another one bursts out in laughter, it's owner getting out on the other side of the bed.

"Now, now Sanzi-chan, Toriku is simply doing his job." she murmurs, going over to open the window and allow the bird in, taking the letter from around it's leg and skimming it.

'He's made his move, step carefully, he wields Kyuubi's full power.' Magiro

She puts it down on the desk and goes over to the bed, a devious smile creeping onto her face as she pounces on top on the bundled up woman. "Get up Sanzi-chan! We've got to go to town!"

"Fuck...Oba-oba, -yawn- I'm sleeping."

Obake frowns, getting up and pulling the covers off the woman in one fell swoop, sitting down on the woman's back.

"Come on Sanzi-chan. We've got to go, I have to check on something."

"Mmm, five more minutes...gotta catch the toaster Sori-kun..."

Obake's eyes narrow and she shakes the woman awake.

"Who is Sori-kun?" she asks, fear laced anger in her tone as Sanziya rubs her eyes.

"Sori-kun is Soriyu, Oba-oba, don't you remember?" the red haired woman asks, tilting her head to the side quizzically. "I told you when we first met, he's sleeping now, hasn't woken up at all though."

Obake growls, getting up and walking out of the room, a groan making itself known from her throat.

This wasn't going according to plan, no, not at all.

Sanziya still remembered the damn bird.

If it happened to wake up it could contact Kyuubi and then she'd have an enraged vessel on her hands.

Fuck.

:Edge of Fire Country:

"Power comes to me. I can wash and rest my feet for a bit in this stream then." the rag covered child murmurs to itself, sitting down at the edge of the stream and dangling its sore feet in the water. It splashes water on its face, smoothing its dirty hair back to reveal a handsome young boy with one blue and red eye. "I wonder how Chidéa looks this time."

* * *

Anaki: Ah, so many scene changes. I love it.

RC16: Um, yeah.

Anaki: What, no witty remark?

RC16: Well, I hurt my ankle, so I'm kinda...depressed.

Anaki: Aw, poor thing. -hugs-

RC16: Blek! Get off me!

Anaki: Yay, you're back!

RC16: -mumbles- Die.

Anaki: Yay! -hugs-

RC17: Aw! Lookit the love! Review people because the hiatus is officially over!


	10. Searching

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Clearly You Don't Understand**

Key

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

_thinking_

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: Sorry if ya'll thought Naruto was seriously gonna teach children, you'll be happy to know that they're all fine however. Ha! Children. Also, Naruto and Anko will be called by their false names in Author POV (when characters are 'speaking' to each other) until they go back to their original bodies.

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Searching**

:In the Forests of Fire Country; Almost to the Edge:

**Author**

Norimu Mishka Siryozha, otherwise known as Uzumaki Naruto reads over the note Haku gave him and smiles, turning to a dango eating Kazuhi Lenyi Sori, also known as Mitarashi Anko.**1**

"Sori-san, Shinobi-san tells us to be careful, ja?"

Sori nods, swallowing a mouthful of mochi.

"So where exactly 'are' we going Norimu-'sama'? I didn't come here to let Akai-san mess around with me just so we could end up going back to 'Russia' for no reason."

Norimu smiles, understanding what she truly means, she'd hidden it because there were about two shinobi shadowing them. Konoha wasn't as stupid as he thought by any means.

"I think we will go towards what the shinobi call Earth Country? I believe that we can find Mat' there." **2**

Sori nods and they continue on in silence, soon feeling the presence of the trailing shinobi leave them after another mile or so. Norimu sighs in relief, he had entertained the idea that he would have to kill them if they persisted persuing them across the border, then again, they were probably some pussy low level chuunin, no clearance to enter another country which would be why they turned back now.

He pulls himself away from his thoughts only to find himself stopped by Sori's outstretched arm.

"What's wrong Sori-san?"

"That." she murmurs, swallowing another mouthful of mochi and gesturing to the smiling child standing before them, it's different colored eyes glittering joviously.

"Finally, Power has come, hello Chidéa, where you have been these past years? Looked for you very long time I have. Body I have no good for traveling, difficult to walk for long periods. Feet become sore easily."

"Uh, kid, I think you've been eating some bad mushrooms, there's no one here named Chid-"

'That is my name in Makai, much like we call Soriyu by his Makai name. I just prefer to be known as Kyuubi while I'm wandering this plane of exisistance.'

Oh.

'Tell him that I was stupid and managed to get sealed inside you and my power was masked by your chakra which is why he couldn't find me before.'

Norimu repeats his captive's words with a smile.

The boy looks confused for a second before he replies with a simple question as a long scythe appears, curving almost eagerly around Norimu's throat. The man freezes in shock, never having saw the boy move.

"Kill vessel?"

Sori moves subtly, intending to strike the child down, but she stops where she stands, Norimu's arm blocking the way as Kyuubi quickly takes over. Indigo eyes glare at the child.

"Jarin, you have ten seconds, if this damnable scythe of yours isn't gone by then I'm gonna let Sori have a shot at you." she sighs in relief as the scythe disappates almost instantly and cuffs the boy on the head. "You don't kill the vessel dummy! Unless it's Soriyu sealed inside, I can't revive myself or my vessel at will! If you kill Norimu then I'll die too!"

She immediately regrets her words as her arms are full of the kid, clutching tight to her shirt.

"Do not want you to die Chi! No death for Chi! Just found Chi again, so Chi cannot die!" he sobs, his tears seeping through the thin cotton of 'her' shirt. Kyuubi sighs, awkwardly patting the child on the back. **3**

"Don't worry, I won't, not as long as you leave Norimu be, alright?"

Jarin nods, wiping his eyes and letting her go, she nods and Norimu returns to himself, blue eyes and all.

"Okay kid, I'm gonna ignore that comment about killing me if you tell me exactly who you are, what you want and why you're here." he growls, digging a finger in his ear and flicking off to the side, pulling an already lit cigarette out from underneath his hat with his free hand and putting it between his lips. They begin walking again, Jarin easily keeping up with Norimu and Sori's long strides. **4**

"Jarin comes from Makai yes, looked for Chi long time after hearing she was sealed. Could not find Chi after such long time and soon was attacked by demon hunter while was traveling. Was too weak to open portal back to Makai after fought them off. Ended up having to shed my demon body and go to this meated sack when it was four of your years old. I kill parents and warp body so it withstand chakra I have, two different eye because of it, see?" he gestures to his eyes at this point. "Then pushed soul of boy deep into mind and he sleep now. Continued search for Chi. Body I have is maybe thirteen now, not know, but I can't still speak damnable human language. Complicated yes?"

Norimu exhales, the smoke forming a ring as it burshes past his lips and into the air, nodding just as Sori chomps down on another mochi ball.

"Yeah, but that didn't tell me 'who' you are."

Jarin smiles a toothy grin, Norimu notices that the boy is missing his two front teeth, making him look much younger than he really is.

"Chidéa not tell? Jarin am I..."

"I know-" Norimu starts in annoyance, but he is promptly silenced by the boy's next words as his voice deepens and his speech clears.

"And the Jyuubi am I, tenth of Bijuu, ruler of Bijuu and Makai. Also known as Inari by humans, although my preferred animal form isn't necessarily a kitsune." **5**

The cigarette and dango slip from numb fingers as Norimu and Sori stumble, shocked looks marring their faces.

Kyuubi snickers from her viewpoint as the two hurry to catch their respective items, stumbling even more in the process.

"What?! But there are only nine!" Norimu hisses, straightening back up quickly to stare at the boy in disbelief as he slips a careful hand underneath his hat, grasping at a kunai.

Jarin eyes him warily, still smiling, lacing his small hands together slowly.

"From ropes of pure light to bound sheep. I call upon my power to bind the reluctant one. In the name of purity I keep you! Demon Arts Number 1: Restraint! Norimu!" he chants, voice raising with each word as Norimu's arms suddenly snap together behind his back, golden bands settling into place around his wrists and forearms. "Well, so much for that little ruse, really boy, did you expect to do anything to the King of Bijuu? I've been alive for longer than you've been able to walk. And, contrary to what you might think, you aren't all-powerful, and believe me, I know what you think."

Jarin sighs, seeming to grow taller and more regal with each spoken word until finally he's standing equally with Norimu, looking directly into the man's eyes. He stretches as the rags he's clothed in transform into a simple full-length white and blue kimono.

"As for how, I control all Bijuu, so of course I have spells in case they decide to attempt a coup, and that goes for the vessels as well." At Norimu's shocked look he continues, an eerie smile settling over his formerly cold features. "Yes, I 'am' reading your mind, does that shock you?...No, Chidéa I will not release him, the child needs to learn manners...Don't move child, you're pretty and I'd hate to mar that face of yours."

Sori huffs in annoyance as the man tells her off, wisely backing down to stand beside a struggling Norimu, he shouldn't have been able to see her.

Norimu growls, continuing to struggle as the man takes a seat in front of him, examining his fingernails.

"What do you want?"

Jarin stops examining his steadily lengthening blue fingernails and looks up.

"I already told you child, I'm checking up on my subordinates that insist upon roaming this pitiful plane of existance. I've already seen to Isara-kun, Hanako-san, Raizen, and Shuichi. It took me a while to locate Shira, Nabibi-chan and Yori because they were sealed and then released and sealed again. I've finally found Chidéa after a while, and the only one I can't find is Soriyu. I saw him last thirteen years ago when he was in Makai with that little red and gold-haired human girl. I looked for him and the girl before I came here but they were nowhere to be found, so I only assumed he had gone with her again when he brought her back to life."

Norimu perks up at this, Jarin not noticing.

"Oh..., what was her name? Sammi? Shira? Sanjima? Suzi? Something with an S..."

"Sanziya! Her name was Sanziya! That's my mother!" Norimu chokes out, sinking to his knees, Sori leaning down to pat him on the back tentatively. "She was there...she was in Makai...but why is she gone?! Where is she?! Where is she?! Let me go, I have to find her!"

Jarin does nothing, producing a nail file and tending to his fingernails.

"Goddamit did you hear me? Fucking let me go! I have to find my mother!"

Jarin looks up at the man, surprise showing on his face before settling into indifference.

"Ah, that makes sense."

**Kyuubi**

Jarin-san never was one for subtleties and it showed greatly when he dropped the shroud of the little kid's body and ate it to re-grow himself. I knew his story was false when he started telling it of course, it took a lot more than a 'demon' hunter to take down the Makai-iju Lord, but it was fun to watch Naruto shocked. Jarin's games were also very fun.

I myself was a little shocked when he bound him but I couldn't deny that I agreed with Jarin's statement. Naruto was becoming quite drunk with power and a little past insane. It was all I could do to keep his mind together nowadays. He still relied on me for advice and I was thankful for it, however, I did go along with his crazy plan. That woman, although she did help us, was a hindrance. How dare she say he couldn't resign because he held me! Such a foolish statement, she's lucky I didn't let him kill her. Saying such foolish things to my little brother, knowing how he'll take it! Maybe I'll poison her next we meet, if ever again, so that she can know a drop of the pain he has gone through over the years. Or have Naruto push a little of my chakra into her coils, yes, that's be painful...very painful.

"Jarin." I call out, knowing he can hear me. "Please release him, you're always so quick to judge. I wouldn't have let him touch you, but you know shinobi are paranoid, Naruto in particular, and they all feel better with some semblance of weapon in hand when faced with an potentially unknown threat."

He ignores me, walking around Naruto slowly, putting him on edge. I could feel the cold fearful fog surrounding his mind as he began to think his dangerous thoughts again.

"Please Jarin! This won't do either of you any good! He cannot be bound, release him!"

He continues to ignore me.

How dare he taunt my vessel, my little brother.

How dare he ignore me.

'Naruto, when he lets you go, kill him.'

**Author**

"Let me go..." Norimu bites out, trying to be politer when his anger gets him nowhere, but tears are beginning to seep from his eyes. He seems on the verge of a breakdown, being tied and helpless like this reminded him of things long past. He couldn't even break the bonds with chakra." 'Please' let me go...I have to find Kaa-san..."

"Calm down child, I'll leave you be in a bit."

Sori, still kneeling beside the man, looks up to the demon lord, pleading with him silently.

The tall demon finally sighs, reversing the binding curse and backing up a bit as the man gets to his feet shakily, being helped by Sori.

"Are you done having your little breakdown?" Jarin sniffs, nose upturned in arrogance, sometimes the man could get a big head on him. "I've no time to deal with weaklings."

The taller demon laughs a bit, not noticing the blonde's growing ire.

"Why, if Chidéa wasn't so damn fond of you I would've ripped you both apart and left your body for the dogs."

Naruto growls under his breath, clenching his fists tightly.

"But then again, the dogs would've probably sniffed you and left you be."

The blonde grits his teeth and starts counting down from ten. It'd do him no good to start a fight with this demon, despite Kyuubi's wishes, he'd be killed.

Jyuu.

'I'll help you Naruto, just go for his throat.'

Kyuu.

"Course, you never know what else might come along, there are some necrophiliac demons wandering around, pretty thing like you, laying out in the forest..." Jarin trails off, purposely baiting the man. The Demon Lord couldn't help it, he was never fond of humans, and to find that Chidéa had grown so attached to it that she was on the verge on insanity while her vessel slowly went further into madness. Well, that was a true insult to demon kind.

Hachi.

'Don't be afraid.'

Shichi.

"Then again, even they might not want you, while pretty, you probably wouldn't be a very good fuck."

Norimu shakes with effort to keep himself under control. Sori is, however uncharacteristically, whispering reassurances to him along with Kyuubi, who's continuing to whisper her assurances to the man in her own twisted way.

'It will be alright Naruto, he knows not of what he speaks. Just quickly, use our chakra, it's poisonous. Much stronger than his right now.'

Jarin sighs, continuing. He would make the boy attack him, he had honor, he would not attack first, be the first to admit being weak willed, and when the boy did...well...he would do what he came here for. Chidéa's feelings be damned, she would understand all once she was free from the insane boy, she would see reason once her tore her soul from his. She would remember everything.

'He cut his power so he could come to this world. He's a blip on the radar Naruto, we are so much stronger, my chakra was never cut, never waned through all these years. Do it.'

Roku.

'Go on.'

She would remember that everything was the same before she was entrapped, and that her mate and children were still very much alive. Moreso that her mate was currently taunting her beloved vessel.

Go.

'Do it.'

Of course, how could Jarin know that she remembered everything? How could he know that she looked upon this 'boy' in front of him with such high praise? How could he know she hated him for waiting so long to come and find her?

Yon.

'Do it.'

'Ha,' Kyuubi thinks, watching the outside with a maniacal gleam in her pretty red eyes. 'I'll never forgive him for sleeping with that other bitch that I smell on him.'

San.

'Do it now, kill him!'

"Even if you 'are' dead." the demon lord finishes, ducking just as the other man swings at him and sidestepping a kick. The demon Lord continues dodging the fast paced attacks with ease until Norimu makes Kage Bunshin with little to no chakra involved and spreads them out along the battlefield, using them to 'jump' behind Jarin using Kawarimi. Jarin is finally caught by surprise as long dark blue claws sprout from his chest and carve down through his midsection to exit from his hip, he's surprised even more when it begins to heal slowly, he knew Kyuubi's chakra didn't have this effect. Norimu doesn't stop to give Jarin enough time to examine his wound, no, he's going all out, using his Insane Dragon Element style to attack anywhere he can reach on the Bijuu King's body. **6**

His attacks fly through Jarin's Yoki barriers as though they were paper and Norimu weaves around the elemental attacks sprouting from mid air as though he were wind itself. Jarin is caught off-guard time and time again as the other man teleports around the field using his Kage Bunshin and attacks whereever he finds weakness.

As the man fights, his appearance slowly changes, his whisker marks begin to show through the disguise and look like they've been burned into his face, his eyes are overtaken by indigo with a white dot in the center to serve as a pupil, chakra tails begin to sprout from his backside, reaching five before stopping. Norimu's long dark hair unfurls from the tie and spreads to cover his entire back in long porcupine-like spikes. His aura premeates the air, it's stifling and eventually Sori faints from the sheer pressure.

He appears behind Jarin once more for a final strike, the Bijuu Lord already having lost too much blood and not having enough chakra to continue living for much longer, carving another wound down his back and digging in his nails until he reaches the Demon Lord's spine, promptly crushing it in two.

"Anything to say before you die, Jarin-'sama'?" Norimu asks, his and Kyuubi's voice mixing together, their hate shining through the venomous words as the man falls to the ground in a literal small pool of his own blood.

Jarin looks up, only seeing his mate behind the man's eyes and shaking his head with a slight smile.

"I love you...-hack- Chi-"

He is silenced as a quickly summoned Syriffian crashes down into his head. The black haired man grins, smiling as he slowly reverts back to his normal form.

'No time to be happy, salvage his heart with haste and eat it on the way, we have to go. No doubt that good for nothing village felt that killing intent, they'll surely be approved for border crossing now. Get the girl and let's go. Quickly!'

Norimu nods, plunging his hand into the former Demon Lord's chest and ripping out the still beating muscle and then rushing over to Sori, flinging her over his shoulder and taking off through the forest at a breakneck speed, the beating and bloody heart firmly ensconced between his long fangs.

:Akatsuki Base:

Obake paces back and forth, tugging at the flower in her hair with a frightening expression on her face.

The rythmic chink of weapons begin to touch the air but halt abruptly as Obake swipes her hand towards the door angrily, almost cutting the Weapon Master in half for the second time in a day.

"I'm not in the mood for company Shigure. Either give me a solution to the bird or go back to keeping watch on Sanziya."

Shigure frowns, watching his shoulder knit itself back together seamlessly as he turns to Obake, not phased by the look on her face.

"That's what I came to tell you...she's..."

Obake looks up, her eyes glowing a frightening shade of silvery blue.

"She's what Shigure?"

"She's gone."

His head is sliced off as Obake snaps the flower in her hair, crushing it underfoot as she makes her way from the room.

"Oh Goddammit. I knew she was gonna do this. Obake! Obake! Get back here and put me back together!" Shigure's head growls from its new place on the floor, his body laying lifeless beside the door. "Fuck...this is gonna be hell to regenerate."

:Earth Country, one mile over Fire Country Border:

Elsewhere, a little red and golden haired girl with one silver bracelet on her arm is sitting inside a circle of burned earth crying and rubbing her scarred arms.

"So-kun!" she cries, tilting her head as if listening. "So-kun!"

"What?" the red haired man that is suddenly beside her asks irritably, obviously annoyed by her crying.

"Where are we? And where did my pretty jewelry go?!"

"I don't know Amari, quit asking. And hush, someone's coming. I don't technically exist, remember?"

The girl, now dubbed Amari, nods, reaching down to finger the bracelet on her wrist as So-kun disappears. A dark-skinned man comes rushing out of the forest with a woman over his shoulder not seconds later and Amari grabs his pant leg as he sprints past her. The man almost trips, turning back to glare at the child that has an iron grip on his pant leg, wondering how the hell she could hold him with how fast he was going.

"Can I go with you mister?"

The man swallows whatever is in his mouth, licking at a red spot in the corner of his mouth and looking back towards the forest anxiously.

"You aren't a crazy insane Demon Lord are you?"

Amari shakes her head cutely, Kyuubi confirms that the girl is telling the truth.

"Fine." he picks her up under his arm and takes off again, making excellent time as he hits the rocky plains of Earth Country.

* * *

Notes of the Footed Kind

**1 **. pronounced: 'No-ray-moo, meesh-ka, seer-yo-zaa' and 'Ka-zoo-he, lin-yee, soar-ree'. 'Norimu's' middle and last name are Russian, Naruto got the name from his mother's journal obviously. Sori's name is Japanese, of course.

**2** . Assume they're speaking Russian to each other as a ruse or a genjutsu to throw off the Chuunin please. Mat' is 'mother' in Russian. Might not be an entirely accurate translation.

**3** . pronounced: 'Chee-day-uh' and 'Ya-rin'.

**4** . In case you haven't figured it out yet, there's a very complex seal layered into Norimu-san's hat.

**5** . Don't give me that look. You knew it was coming.

**6** . Insane Dragon Element: Fighting style that consists of grappling, kicking and soft touch chakra induced moves to disarm your opponent and make them helpless. Based off of Water and Fire styles. The unpredictability of Fire and the calm, quick movements of Water make this style formidable in combat.

* * *

Anaki: Okay, I know everyone is like: Wtf? He can take down the Lord of Demons?! He's too powerful! Before you go getting pissy, listen, I'm bout to give damn good reasons why Jarin died so easily and had to die:

1: His power was cut to an fifth of what it would normally be. Now, take what you've seen of Kyuubi's power and mutiply it by five, that's Jarin's full power. Take Naruto's power, his own power and multiply it by twenty (for the years it was bound) and then add Kyuubi's. See where I'm going with this? Not to mention they're both batshit insane. Insane people fight awesomely, take Beserkers for example.

2: Plot bitches, plot. In order for the story to progress further and get to it's ultimate end, people are going to die. A few others are probably gonna get killed soon enough, all of them won't necessarily be OC's, at least I don't think so. And even then, hey, I'm cutting them outta the picture, no one likes an overload of OC's so you should be happy.

3: Have you noticed the heart thing yet? Think back to TFTP, remember now? Yes, it does play a key part, you'll see.

RC16: Um, okay?

Anaki: Damn right okay.

RC16: That's right.

Anaki: Yep. Also, another twist! See if you can find it!

RC17: Review, we're quite aware it is long and the fight scene sucks. If anyone wants to volunteer to write a better one, please don't bother reading anymore. We write how we write and if you don't like it, oh well. Take note, we don't use betas. Can't be bothered to send stuff off and wait for them to send it back.


	11. Emotions

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Clearly You Don't Understand **

**Key **

S.S Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

thinking

"talking"

thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

/telepathy/

:scene change: (more for my reference than anything else)

**POV**

* * *

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Sarutobi was assassinated and his ward was thrown into prison by the biased council who believed it to be him. Now a bigger threat arises with an untimed resurrection and the tears of a forgotten man. (Sequel to The Fox and The Phoenix)

A/n: If any of ya'll are perceptive, then ya'll already know who the little girl and So-kun are. Think about it. There's a small timeskip in this chapter of about two months along with different names and appearances for Naruto (now Toshi) and Anko (now Mariko), they can't afford to be recognized if some Konoha ninja comes by you know? Also, I know you guys are thinking, why is Shigure still severed? Cause Obake is sadistic like that and told everyone not to help him on pain of death.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Emotions

**Author**

:Akatsuki Base:

Obake was pissed, she'd been pissed for the past two months because she was no closer to finding her latest project, and everyone knows to stay out of a Necromancer's way when they're pissed off lest you end up as another bead on their necklace. Sadly, Shigure had never learned this lesson in the few years he'd been around the woman.

"Obake, can you please put my head back on my body? It's really cold down here and I think I'm finally catching a-a-a achoo! I think I'm catching a cold!" Shigure's head mumbles, sneezing again as it looks up at Obake. She's not paying any attention to him, instead mumbling to herself and sprinkling what looks to be ashes over a sigil carved into the floor.

"Ten handfuls of salamander ash...dash of crocodile blood...hm...beads...five liters Dead Chakra, mandrake root..." she pauses at this, looking down to Shigure's head and frowning, picking him up by his hair.

"Hey, hey! That hurts, ow, ow, ow! Obake!" he screeches as she unceremoniously slams his head back onto his body, running a finger around his throat to make the skin line up. Shigure immediately takes control and puts himself back together. "Finally, thank you."

"Go get me a mandrake root Shigure, please make yourself useful, be quick..." she trails off, going back over to her book, leaving a stunned Weapons Master on the ground.

"Please?...Wow...someone has finally learned some manners..." he mumbles sarcastically to himself as his head is severed again.

"I heard that."

"Goddammit Obake, quit fooling around if you want my help!"

:Earth Country, Village of Giroi:

There's a wet thud as a tall dark-skinned man with massive scars over his torso and dark red hair drops a massive boar onto the floor of the hut, the young, pale, black haired woman sitting on the floor grins and begins to skin it.

"We can line our boots with this for winter, some of the shopkeepers told me it gets really cold here, good thing you didn't cut him too much Toshi."

Toshi nods, looking around.

"Mariko, where's the gaki?"

"I think she went out to play with some children she met this morning." Mariko replies, not looking up from skinning the boar as Norimu sighs.

"Let me go and look for her, won't do for her to be spotted and possibly questioned."

"Maa, maa...always so paranoid koibito." Mariko tells him, gesturing with the knife. "Let Amari have a little fun, they won't question a little girl."

Toshi shrugs, stepping out of the hut with a grunt as Mariko drops the bloody pellet of skin onto the dusty floor, sighing to herself.

:Giroi Streets:

Toshi wanders around for a little while, calling for Amari before stopping as he hears a child's terrified scream.

"Leave me alone! I didn't do nothing to you! So-kun! So-kun! Help me!"

Toshi rushes as fast as he can towards the voice, recognizing it as the child he was looking for. He couldn't explain it, but he'd actually started caring about her at one point. Mind you, he still hadn't figured out who 'So-kun' was. The heavily scarred man rounds the corner into a secluded alley at top speed, slipping on some liquid and ending up on his back, kunai already in hand as he gets to his feet and subsequently drops it in shock. The entire alley is literally covered in blood and bits of bodily organs, in the far corner near the dumpster stands Amari, talking animatedly to a person only she can see.

"That was so cool So-kun! Can you teach me?" she tilts her head to the side with a questioning look on her face. "But why not?! I wanna be able to do something that awesome too! It's not fair!" She tilts her head again and frowns, putting her little hands on her hips. "Fine, I'll just ask Mariko-san or Toshi-kun!"

The girl turns to walk out of the alley and 'oofs' as she runs into Toshi, who is now grinning like a madman.

"Hi Toshi-kun! Will you teach me how to do this?" she asks, gesturing innocently to the absolute carnage around them.

The insane demon container simply nods, grin still on his face as he picks the girl up, swings her around and sits her atop his shoulders for the return trip home.

Surprisingly, neither one noticed the figure trailing them.

:Konoha:

"We've caught onto his trail, currently he is a resident of Earth Country, residing in the Village of Giroi with one Mitarashi Anko and a red haired child of unknown origins. It is unknown if Mitarashi is a willing accomplice or brainwashed. The child should be treated with extreme caution, it was just witnessed two days ago that she slaughtered five bandits without lifting a finger, using chakra or exerting any killer intent. Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto should be treated with extreme caution as per the direction of Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage. He is not to be engaged in hand to hand combat under any means and under no circumstances are any mental jutsu to be used on him, he is to be brought back alive if possible, dead if necessary. Mitarashi and the girl as well. Use sound judgement." Noein, the leader of Ne ANBU Division Neo, says clearly to all present. The large scale congregation of about fifty Ne ANBU all 'Hai' in unison.

"Dismissed!"

They disappear in a large poof of smoke as Noein sighs, going into his office and sinking into the chair behind his desk.

"It's done." he mumbles to seemingly empty air as a black raven appears from nowhere. "What now Mistress?"

"Wait for orders, little Magiro." the raven says, before disappearing in a poof of feathers.

Noein, or Magiro, sighs again, picking up the scroll left in the pile of bird feathers and beginning to read it.

:Z & H's house:

Deer knocks on the door to the couple's home, waiting a bit before a towel clad Zabuza opens the door, annoyed.

"Yeah?" he asks in a slightly irritated tone. "What do you need?"

"It's about the fugitive." the ANBU clad Shikamaru states, being ushered in quickly, letting the door swing shut behind him securely as Zabuza calls for Haku.

"Yes? What's the matter, koi?" Haku asks, coming out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishrag.

"Information on your wayward brother, talk to him while I finish my shower." Zabuza grumbles, disappearing down the hall.

Haku gestures for Shikamaru to sit down and sits across from him when he does so.

"What's happened?" he asks, worridly wringing the towel in his hands. "They've found him haven't they? Oh Kami, they're gonna bring him back and publicly execute him, aren't they?!"

"Please, calm down Haku, yes they've found him and gone after him but I believe he stands a chance, even if it is fifty Ne ANBU against him and the two people he has traveling with him."

"Two? I thought Anko-san was the only one with him."

"No, apparently there's a red and gold haired girl with them as well."

Haku stands abruptly, murmuring about going to pen a letter before disappearing into a neighboring room.

Shikamaru sighs, leaving a scroll on the table and letting himself out.

:One week later, Giroi:

-Knock, knock-

"Toshi, get the door! I'm helping Amari mend her clothes!"

Toshi gets up from reading his letter, casually tossing it into the fireplace as he makes his way to the door and opening it.

"Hello? May I help you Shinobi-san?" he asks the white masked ANBU at the door, blinking in feigned confusion.

"Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto, under order of the Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade, and Noein, leader of Ne ANBU. We are here to take you, Mitarashi Anko and the unknown child into custody for treason and desertion of your home village without prior authorization."

"Toshi-koi, who's at the door...Oh..." Mariko asks, coming up behind the large man and looking over his shoulder at the ANBU, Amari peeking around the doorframe. "Who are you looking for Shinobi-san? I do hope we didn't do anything illegal?"

"Uzumaki-Kazama Naruto and party, you have ten seconds to comply before action is taken. We have orders to bring you back by any means necessary." the ANBU replies sternly, his voice broking no argument.

Toshi digs a finger in his ear, flicking it off to the side before grinning at the ANBU with widened eyes and calling Amari to him. He doesn't notice the look of realization in her eyes as she hides a smile.

"Alright Shinobi-san, although I have no idea who this person is, I can see you think that I am he, so I will gather my family and come with you. I have...no desire for trouble..." Toshi replies, wrapping an arm around the small girl's shoulders before leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Go and grab a bag for you and kaa-san and my hat as well, sweetheart, quickly."

"Okay tou-san." Amari whispers back, hurrying to gather the items and coming back, handing a bag to Mariko and the straw hat to Toshi.

"Shinobi-san?"

"This way. You will be placed in chakra blocking shackles, bear your arms." the ANBU states as they leave the hut, all three of them doing so as heavy shackles are clamped onto their wrists.

:Plains of Earth Country:

"Papa, I'm hungry!" Amari whines, looking down to Toshi from her seat upon his shoulders, frowning when she gets no response. "Papa!"

"I'm sorry Amari-chan, unless one of the Shinobi have food you'll have to wait." he replies, tilting his head to look at the ANBU to his right.

"Aa, here kid." the ANBU replies, holding a ration bar up to her.

His first mistake.

The little girl grabs his hand in her own, lifting him high above her head despite the difference in weight and the fact that she is on Toshi's shoulders, before he is engulfed in rainbow colored flames. Much to the shock of the man below her, nevermind the rest of the ANBU.

"Kaa-san?"

* * *

Anaki: Short

RC16: Aye

Anaki: Oh well, I'm sorry guys, it just seemed like a good place

RC16: I saw the ghost!

Anaki: -.- ...to leave off. More to come.

RC17: Review!


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